Tensions between Washington and Moscow took a new turn on Friday as Condoleezza Rice, US secretary of state, called on Russian troops to withdraw from occupied areas in Georgia “immediately”. She made the call after Mikheil Saakashvili, Georgian president, signed a new ceasefire agreement with Russia.

Her call came as Nicolas Sarkozy, French president, spoke to Dmitry Medvedev, his Russian counterpart, who agreed to sign the accord and said that Moscow would “scrupulously” respect the elements of the agreement, “notably those concerning the withdrawal of Russian forces”. However, the French statement gave no indication of when Mr Medvedev might sign the agreement.