Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. expects to hold talks with Russia next month to try to defuse tensions over the country’s military buildup near Ukraine as Russian President Vladimir Putin hardened his rhetoric toward the West.
Mr. Blinken, in remarks Tuesday, appealed to Moscow to de-escalate its military presence near Ukraine to establish a productive setting for the proposed January discussions. Washington is proposing to hold those talks directly with Russia and through parallel discussions that involve the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
