UK and French foreign ministers meet at G7 meeting

The UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian held bilateral talks on Saturday on the sidelines of the G-7 summit in Liverpool.

The meeting appeared frosty as both countries are currently in dispute about several issues including migrant crossings and fishing licenses.

The weekend meeting is the final major event of Britain's year-long G-7 presidency.

The diplomats plan to discuss lagging efforts to vaccinate the world against the coronavirus, tensions in the western Balkans, Afghanistan and North Korea and China's muscle-flexing in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as the issue with the Ukraine-Russia border troop buildup.

The U.K. is seeking elusive consensus from the wealthy nations' club in response to what it calls "malign behaviour" by Russia, and over tensions with China and Iran.

The U.S. and its NATO allies are concerned the movement of Russian troops and weapons to the border region may be a prelude to invasion and have said they would inflict heavy sanctions on Russia's economy if that happens.

Moscow denies planning to attack Ukraine and accuses Kyiv of its own allegedly aggressive designs.