PARIS — US Secretary of State John Kerry says the United States and Russia agree on the need for a diplomatic solution for Ukraine.

Kerry also stressed that Ukraine would have to be at the table for negotiations. He made the comments at a news conference Sunday night after speaking at length with his Russian counterpart.

Kerry said the Russian troop build-up along the border is creating a climate of fear and intimidation in Ukraine and is not helpful.

Kerry sat down with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the residence of the Russian ambassador to France to go over Moscow’s response to a US plan to de-escalate the situation.