The number two US diplomat will visit Russia and Lithuania soon for talks on Belarus, two sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, as Washington seeks a peaceful resolution to that country's election crisis that averts Russian intervention.

Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun's planned mission signals a greater US role in trying to settle the strife that erupted when Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko brutally cracked down on peaceful protesters rejecting his claim of a landslide Aug. 9 election win.

Asked about Biegun's planned trip, a State Department spokesman said "there is no travel to announce at this time."

One source, a former senior US official who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Biegun was expected to leave in the coming days for Moscow and the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, where Belarusian opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took refuge after Lukashenko launched his crackdown.

The United States and European Union have condemned the election as marred by irregularities. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday urged Lukashenko to accept international help in opening talks with the opposition and implicitly warned Russia, Belarus' massive neighbor, not to intervene.

Lukashenko has appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin for help salvaging his 26-year rule. Belarus is bound to Russia by a mutual defense treaty and deep economic, political and cultural ties.

Putin has offered assistance, if required. Moscow on Wednesday said it saw no need to help for now, but has warned against outside involvement in Belarus and said the crisis should be settled internally.

The second source said he did not know Biegun's planned message but thought he would aim to prevent further violence in Belarus or Russian intervention.

"I would guess the administration is trying to dissuade Moscow from either intervening on its own or using its influence with Lukashenko to encourage him to have a (more) violent crackdown," said this source, also on condition of anonymity.

EU member Lithuania, which has sought backing from Washington, has been an outspoken critic of Lukashenko's crackdown on the demonstrations by tens of thousands of Belarusians in which his security forces have beaten, teargassed and arrested thousands of people, many of whom say they were tortured.

Experts say Washington seeks a larger role in a search for a negotiated resolution to the crisis. The turmoil disrupted a US effort to exploit tensions between Putin and Lukashenko, with Pompeo visiting Minsk in February for talks on normalizing diplomatic relations.

Protesters are not demanding closer ties with the West, experts noted, but a redo of the vote and respect for human rights, which Washington has a strong interest in promoting.

Moreover, the crisis gives Washington an issue on which to unite with European allies amid serious tensions over the Iran nuclear deal and US President Donald Trump's expressions of disdain for the trans-Atlantic alliance, they said.

"From the US perspective, there's a whole host of issues both in terms of human rights and democracy, but there's also a security component," said Jonathan Katz, a former US official and expert on Eastern Europe with the German Marshall Fund, a thinktank. "Belarus borders the Baltic allies and Poland."

At the same time, he said, Washington wants to avoid giving Putin an excuse to intervene militarily in Belarus as he did in 2014 in Ukraine, when Russian forces seized Crimea and backed separatists in the country's east after the ouster of a pro-Moscow government.

"There are concerns about the potential for Moscow to act militarily," said Katz. "You can't dismiss it even if you think the likelihood is not there."

The number two US diplomat will visit Russia and Lithuania soon for talks on Belarus, two sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, as Washington seeks a peaceful resolution to that country's election crisis that averts Russian intervention.

The number two US diplomat will visit Russia and Lithuania soon for talks on Belarus, two sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, as Washington seeks a peaceful resolution to that country's election crisis that averts Russian intervention. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun's planned mission signals a greater US role in trying to settle the strife that erupted when Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko brutally cracked down on peaceful protesters rejecting his claim of a landslide Aug. 9 election win. Asked about Biegun's planned trip, a State Department spokesman said "there is no travel to announce at this time." One source, a former senior US official who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Biegun was expected to leave in the coming days for Moscow and the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, where Belarusian opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took refuge after Lukashenko launched his crackdown. The United States and European Union have condemned the election as marred by irregularities. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday urged Lukashenko to accept international help in opening talks with the opposition and implicitly warned Russia, Belarus' massive neighbor, not to intervene. Lukashenko has appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin for help salvaging his 26-year rule. Belarus is bound to Russia by a mutual defense treaty and deep economic, political and cultural ties. Putin has offered assistance, if required. Moscow on Wednesday said it saw no need to help for now, but has warned against outside involvement in Belarus and said the crisis should be settled internally. The second source said he did not know Biegun's planned message but thought he would aim to prevent further violence in Belarus or Russian intervention. "I would guess the administration is trying to dissuade Moscow from either intervening on its own or using its influence with Lukashenko to encourage him to have a (more) violent crackdown," said this source, also on condition of anonymity. EU member Lithuania, which has sought backing from Washington, has been an outspoken critic of Lukashenko's crackdown on the demonstrations by tens of thousands of Belarusians in which his security forces have beaten, teargassed and arrested thousands of people, many of whom say they were tortured. Experts say Washington seeks a larger role in a search for a negotiated resolution to the crisis. The turmoil disrupted a US effort to exploit tensions between Putin and Lukashenko, with Pompeo visiting Minsk in February for talks on normalizing diplomatic relations. Protesters are not demanding closer ties with the West, experts noted, but a redo of the vote and respect for human rights, which Washington has a strong interest in promoting. Moreover, the crisis gives Washington an issue on which to unite with European allies amid serious tensions over the Iran nuclear deal and US President Donald Trump's expressions of disdain for the trans-Atlantic alliance, they said. "From the US perspective, there's a whole host of issues both in terms of human rights and democracy, but there's also a security component," said Jonathan Katz, a former US official and expert on Eastern Europe with the German Marshall Fund, a thinktank. "Belarus borders the Baltic allies and Poland." At the same time, he said, Washington wants to avoid giving Putin an excuse to intervene militarily in Belarus as he did in 2014 in Ukraine, when Russian forces seized Crimea and backed separatists in the country's east after the ouster of a pro-Moscow government. "There are concerns about the potential for Moscow to act militarily," said Katz. "You can't dismiss it even if you think the likelihood is not there."

US deputy secy of state to visit Russia, Lithuania to discuss Belarus

US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Delhi on Friday and discussed the deep convergences of the strategic relationship shared between the two countries.

"Glad to receive Deputy Secretary @StateDept John Sullivan. Discussing the deep convergences of our strategic relationship," Jaishankar tweeted.

Sullivan is currently on the second leg of his two-nation visit to Bhutan and India from August 11 to 17 to advance Washington`s partnership with both countries that are critical to preserving the rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region.

Apart from meeting Jaishankar, the Deputy State Secretary is also scheduled to address the India-US forum.

Sullivan`s visit to India comes amid rising tensions in the region following New Delhi`s move to abrogate of Article 370 which granted a special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating the border state into two Union Territories.

The international community has urged both countries to exercise restraint and to ensure that peace and stability prevail along the Line of Control (LoC).&nbsp;

US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Delhi on Friday and discussed the deep convergences of the strategic relationship shared between the two countries.

US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Delhi on Friday and discussed the deep convergences of the strategic relationship shared between the two countries. "Glad to receive Deputy Secretary @StateDept John Sullivan. Discussing the deep convergences of our strategic relationship," Jaishankar tweeted. Sullivan is currently on the second leg of his two-nation visit to Bhutan and India from August 11 to 17 to advance Washington`s partnership with both countries that are critical to preserving the rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region. Apart from meeting Jaishankar, the Deputy State Secretary is also scheduled to address the India-US forum. Sullivan`s visit to India comes amid rising tensions in the region following New Delhi`s move to abrogate of Article 370 which granted a special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating the border state into two Union Territories. The international community has urged both countries to exercise restraint and to ensure that peace and stability prevail along the Line of Control (LoC).

US Deputy Secy of State meets External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Delhi

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US deputy secy of state to visit Russia, Lithuania to discuss Belarus

US Deputy Secy of State meets External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Delhi