Ukraine crisis updates: What to know amid the fears of a war

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — High-stakes diplomacy continued on Friday in a bid to avert a war in Eastern Europe. The urgent efforts come as 100,000 Russian troops are massed near Ukraine's border and the Biden administration worries that Russian President Vladimir Putin will mount some sort of invasion within weeks.

Here are things to know about the international tensions surrounding Ukraine.

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A DIPLOMATIC DEADLOCK

Russia’s top diplomat said Friday that Moscow will not start a war but that it wouldn’t allow the West to trample on its security interests.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said there is little room for compromise after the West rejected Russia’s key demands that NATO never accept Ukraine as a member and that it roll back deployments in Eastern Europe.

Lavrov said that “while they say they won’t change their positions, we won’t change ours.”

The top Russian diplomat noted, however, that the U.S. — in a recent written response to Russian demands — has suggested the two sides could talk about other issues of importance. Those include limits on the deployment of intermediate-range missiles, restrictions on military drills and rules to prevent accidents between warships and aircraft.

He emphasized that those issues are secondary to Russia’s main demands.

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THE FRENCH CONNECTION

French President Emmanuel Macron is speaking to his Russian counterpart in hopes that diplomacy can avert a war.

Macron’s call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday morning has two goals, French government spokesman Gabriel Attal said earlier this week: “to continue dialogue” and to “push Russia to clarify its position and the aim of (military) maneuvering.”

Macron “is at the heart of efforts towards de-escalation,” Attal added....