Berlin: US Vice President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged Moscow on Wednesday to take concrete steps to defuse tensions, warning that no significant withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine's border had been observed thus far.
"The risk of further Russian military aggression against Ukraine remains high; extreme caution is required," said the German chancellery following a phone call between Scholz and Biden.

"Russia must take genuine steps toward de-escalation," they added, reiterating their warning that any further military aggression by Moscow against Ukraine would result in "extraordinarily serious consequences."

Scholz had called Biden to brief him on his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday.

Both leaders welcomed Putin's statements that diplomatic efforts should continue to resolve the Ukraine crisis, and affirmed that they must be "pursued at full speed".