Blinken confronts Russia's Lavrov on Ukraine, warns of 'severe costs'

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during the NATO Foreign Ministers summit in Riga, Latvia December 1, 2021. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Moscow of the "severe costs" Russia would pay if it invaded Ukraine, urging his Russian counterpart on Thursday to seek a diplomatic exit from the crisis.

Blinken delivered the warning to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at what he called a "candid" meeting in Stockholm and said it was likely that Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin would speak soon.