U.S. open to diplomacy on Ukraine, de-escalation necessary - Blinken

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday the United States had made clear to Ukraine it will support Kyiv's efforts at diplomacy with Russia but it was to hard see a diplomatic path without a military de-escalation.

In a comment addressed to the Russian people, Blinken also told a news conference the United States knew many of them wanted nothing to do with Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine.

Blinken noted that US is coordinating the delivery of military equipment to Ukraine, including anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons.

Blinken also called President Vladimir Putin's "provocative" nuclear rhetoric "the height of irresponsibility", days after the Russian leader put his strategic forces on alert after invading Ukraine.

"It's dangerous. It adds to the risk of miscalculation. It needs to be avoided," Blinken told a press briefing in Washington.