Blinken says 'does not make sense' to meet Lavrov, meeting called off

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he does not see any sense in proceeding with the meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov this week amid escalation in the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

Blinken during a joint press briefing with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Tuesday said, "Last week, I agreed to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov this week on February 24 to discuss our countries' respective concerns about European security but only if Russia did not invade Ukraine. Now that we see the invasion is beginning and Russia has made clear its wholesale rejection of diplomacy, it does not make sense to go forward with that meeting at this time."

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday (local) authorized additional movements of US forces and military equipment in Europe to "strengthen" Baltic allies in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, following Russian President Vladimir Putin ordering troops into two separatist regions of Ukraine.

Speaking on the Russia-Ukraine crisis from the White House, Biden also announced new sanctions against Russia after President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of breakaway regions Donetsk and Luhansk.