Is Europe a safer place after a week of diplomacy that has criss-crossed the continent? The short answer is probably no. From marathon talks in Geneva between the US and Russia, to the first meeting of the Nato-Russia Council in more than two years, to a session of the Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe in Vienna, grievances have been aired, red lines drawn, accusations levelled. Wendy Sherman, Washington's veteran negotiator, spoke of "a better understanding of each other and each other's priorities and concerns", after almost eight hours of talks with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on Monday. For his part, Mr Ryabkov said the Americans had "considered our concerns seriously". When the focus shifted to Nato, the Alliance's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke of "a general willingness and support of the idea of dialogue" from his Russian interlocutors. At a time when 100,000 Russian troops maintain their menacing presence on Ukraine's northern and eastern borders - the comings and goings of specific units and pieces of equipment minutely analysed for clues as to the Kremlin's true intentions - the fact that so much time has been spent talking this week is positive.