Blinken drops meeting with Russia's Lavrov, says Moscow rejected diplomacy

Western nations imposes new sanctions on Russia on Tuesday after President Putin recognises breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday he had canceled a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov planned for Thursday after Moscow's recognition of two separatist regions in Ukraine as independent entities.

Blinken said he had agreed to meet with Lavrov, his counterpart, 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," Blinken told reporters after a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Washington.

Blinken said he was