Russia must keep its word and act to end the crisis in Georgia, US president George Bush said this afternoon.
He said he was concerned at reports of continuing Russian military action in Georgia.
“The United States of America stands with the democratically elected government of Georgia,'' he said.
However,Russia's foreign minister said the United States needed to choose between partnership with Moscow and the Georgian leadership which he described as a "virtual project".
"We understand that this current Georgian leadership is a special project of the United States, but one day the United States will have to choose between defending its prestige over a virtual project or real partnership which requires joint action," Sergei Lavrov said.
Mr Lavrov, speaking to reporters at a state residence outside Moscow, slammed Washington for playing a dangerous game in the Caucasus by backing Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.
"Bush's speech said nothing of how Georgia was armed all these years, including by the United States," he said.
"We have more than once warned our partners that this is a dangerous game.
Mr Bush said nothing about what had happened on August 8, when Western leaders maintained silence when Tskhinvali became a target of massive bombing."
"The Western political elite got excited only after the Russian leadership decided not to leave its peacekeepers to their fate, not to allow... ethnic cleansing as it had happened in Srebrenica," he added
President Bush announced that US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice is to travel to France and then to Tiblisi to show support for the Georgian government. He also said the US would be sending humanitarian aid to Georgia.
He warned that Russia is putting its aspirations to join the WTO and other organisations at risk by its actions in Georgia.
“Russia is putting those aspirations at risk by taking action inconsistent with the principles of these organisations,” he said.
“Russia must keep its word and act to end this crisis.”
Before leaving for Tbilisi, Condoleezza said Russia faced deeper isolation if it violated a France-brokered ceasefire with Georgia.
"If indeed Russia is violating a ceasefire, and I have to say the reports are not encouraging about Russia's respect for the ceasefire ... that will only serve to deepen the isolation to which Russia is moving," said Rice, adding that Russia had "seriously overreached" in its response.