Russia says security talks will fail if EU gives collective response to proposals

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday said a collective response from the European Union to Russian security proposals would lead to a breakdown in talks, but insisted Moscow was in favour of diplomacy to ease tensions over Ukraine.

Speaking after talks in Moscow with British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, Lavrov said he could not understand British anxiety over Russian military drills in neighbouring Belarus, the active phase of which began on Thursday. read more

Russia has repeatedly denied any plans to invade Ukraine despite massing more than 100,000 troops at the border.