Representatives from the United States (U.S) and Russia have scheduled a meeting in Geneva on Monday to address soaring tensions over Ukraine.
Moscow and Washington both sent their deputy foreign ministers to lead the delegations.
Their talks to kick start a week of diplomacy aimed at de-escalating the crisis.
On Wednesday, a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council was scheduled in Brussels the first in two and a half years.
This was to be followed on Thursday by talks in Vienna within the framework of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
The focus was on a build-up of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine.
The U.S. and its allies have threatened massive sanctions in the event of a Russian invasion, while Russia was demanding guarantees that NATO would not expand further east and would reduce troops and weapons in Europe.
The talks in Geneva were taking place within the framework of the strategic security dialogue that Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin agreed on at their summit in the Swiss city in June.
This is the third round.
They took place alternately at the U.S. and Russian diplomatic missions in Geneva.
Both sides had already dampened expectations for any breakthrough.
(dpa/NAN)
