NEW YORK (NYTIMES) - The United States and Russia bitterly attacked each other over the Ukraine crisis in a diplomatic brawl on Monday (Jan 31) at the UN Security Council, in a session replete with acidic exchanges that could have been lifted from the Cold War era.

The Americans, backed by their Western allies, accused Russia of endangering peace and destabilising global security by massing more than 100,000 troops on Ukraine's borders, while Kremlin diplomats dismissed what they called baseless and hysterical US fear-mongering aimed at weakening Russia and provoking armed conflict.

"The situation we are facing in Europe is urgent and dangerous," US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said in her opening remarks to a televised meeting of the Council that Russia had sought to prevent.

"Russia's actions strike at the very heart of the UN charter."

Her Russian counterpart, Mr Vassily Nebenzia, said it was the Americans who were the provocateurs, "whipping up tensions and provoking escalation", as he insisted that Russia had no plans to invade Ukraine.

"You are almost pulling for this," he said, looking at Ms Thomas-Greenfield. "You want it to happen. You're waiting for it to happen, as if you want to make your words become a reality."

The meeting of the 15-nation Security Council, requested by the United States last week, had not been expected to produce any diplomatic breakthrough.

The Security Council meeting adjourned after two hours with no action taken.

Mr Nebenzia pointedly left the meeting before it was over, as Ukraine's ambassador, Mr Sergiy Kyslytsya, was speaking.

Ms Thomas-Greenfield told reporters afterwards that she was disappointed by the Russian response at the meeting.

"We called for this meeting to allow the Russians to give us an explanation of what their actions are," she said.

"They didn't give us the answers that any of us would have hoped that they would provide."

Still, the Biden administration said it regarded the meeting as an important display of the resolve of the United States and its allies to confront Russia over the military threat at Ukraine's borders.

"If Russia is sincere about addressing our respective security concerns through dialogue, the United States and our allies and partners will continue to engage in good faith," President Joe Biden said in a White House statement.

"If instead Russia chooses to walk away from diplomacy and attack Ukraine, Russia will bear the responsibility, and it will face swift and severe consequences."