NBC News cited officials as saying additional troops and vehicles were sent to deter Russian forces from entering a security area, where US coalition and Kurdish forces were operating.
Ministers will meet on Monday ahead of leaders summit later in the week. Unexpectedly however, the ministers find that their most urgent issue is to untangle discussion of problems in Belarus from those in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The visit of the Chinese foreign minister to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia was a clear indication that Beijing is determined to maintain its special, and often privileged position in the region but not everyone was convinced