The meeting between United States and Russia over Ukraine and other security issues remained inconclusive yesterday. with no sign of progress from either side at highly anticipated strategic talks. However, neither side characterized the meeting as a complete failure. Washington says Russia has deployed an estimated 100,000 troops near the border with Ukraine in recent months, eight years after it seized the Crimean peninsula from its neighbour.<br />'' <br />''<span style="color: #222222;">Russian President Vladimir Putin brushed aside the news about plans to invade Ukraine and blamed the US-headed NATO transatlantic military alliance for undermining the region's security. Moscow also  insists on guarantees to halt NATO's eastward expansion.</span><br />