China has told the United States it wants to see all sides involved in Ukraine remain calm and avoid increasing tension while the United States stressed de-escalation and warned of the security and economic risks from Russian aggression.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke about Ukraine on a telephone call late on Wednesday.

Russia, which has been building up its forces on Ukraine's borders for months, has demanded NATO pull back troops and weapons from eastern Europe and bar Ukraine, a former Soviet state, from ever joining the alliance.

The United States and its NATO allies reject that position but say they are ready to discuss other topics such as arms control and confidence-building measures.

Wang, apparently referring to Russia's objections to NATO's expansion in eastern Europe, told Blinken that one country's security could not be at the expense of the security of others and regional security could not be guaranteed by strengthening or even expanding military blocs, his ministry said.

The United States has warned Russia not to invade Ukraine and urged both countries to return to a set of pacts known as Minsk I and Minsk II signed in 2014 and 2015, respectively, to end a separatist war by Russian-speakers in eastern Ukraine.

But a series of military and political steps set out by the later Minsk II agreement remain unimplemented, with Russia's insistence that it is not a party to the conflict and therefore is not bound by its terms being a major blockage.

China has been strengthening ties with Russia as tension between China and the United States has been growing over a range of issues, from trade to human rights, Taiwan and China's maritime claims.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, against whom the United States has threatened personal sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine, is expected to visit China next week for the Winter Olympics, which begin on Feb. 4.

The United States, Canada, Australia and Britain have announced they will not send any state officials to the Games because of China's human rights record. China has denied rights abuses and rejected what it calls the politicization of sport.

Pope appeals for peace in Ukraine as threat of war looms

At the conclusion of his weekly General Audience, Pope Francis asked the faithful "to pray for peace in Ukraine, now and throughout this day."

The Holy Father had called for an international day of prayer for peace to be held on 26 January, as Russia amasses troops on along its border with Ukraine.
The Pope asked the Lord to "grant that the country may grow in the spirit of brotherhood and that all hurts, fears and divisions will be overcome."

He then urged that today's prayers and supplications rise up to heaven and "touch the minds and hearts of world leaders, so that dialogue may prevail and the common good be placed ahead of partisan interests."
-Reuters/VN