France Cancels Friday Meeting With Russian Foreign Minister

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Tuesday he would cancel the Paris invitation to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov for talks after Russia's recognition of breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.

"It's no," Le Drian told journalists in Paris when asked whether the Friday meeting would go ahead, although EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell added that "diplomatic action will continue to avert a war in the heart of Europe".