"Sanctions ready"

"Sanctions ready"

The United States also threatened sanctions against Moscow and announced diplomatic talks.

At the same time, Russia announced that it has submitted a draft of U.S. documents which are elaborating security arrangements that would prevent the expansion of NATO to Ukraine.

The build-up of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine took center stage at a summit of 27 EU leaders, following a request from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to impose additional sanctions on Moscow, and before any possible attack on his country, warning that action would come too late.

Asked by reporters whether Europe would respond to Zelensky's call, European Council President Charles Michel said they were ready to take additional sanctions if necessary in line with developments. EU leaders are expected to approve the draft conclusion of the summit today, which the AP had an insight into, and which warns that "any further military aggression against Ukraine will have huge consequences and serious costs in response."

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned Moscow not to "cross the line".

"The inviolability of borders is one of the very important foundations of peace in Europe, and we will all do everything together to ensure that this inviolability really remains intact," Scholz said.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said the EU should not underestimate the threat posed by Russia's military build-up, adding that Moscow's moves had led to the worst security situation since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Many European leaders have said they are counting on diplomatic talks as a way to prevent Russian military action in Ukraine. Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, whose country holds the presidency of the European Union until the end of the year, proposed negotiations between France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia.

"Maybe there are some open channels for some serious negotiations in the coming days," Jansa said. Moscow denies planning an attack on Ukraine, but U.S. intelligence officials say Russia has transferred 70.000 troops near Ukraine and is preparing for an invasion early next year.

In 2015, France and Germany mediated a peace agreement that helped end large-scale hostilities in eastern Ukraine, where pro-government forces are fighting separatists, but the conflict, in which 14.000 people were killed, remains silent.

Today, the Kremlin again called on Western leaders to provide legally binding guarantees that prevent the expansion of NATO to Ukraine and the deployment of weapons of the North Atlantic Alliance in that area, calling it the "red line" for Moscow.

The United States and its allies have refused to provide such guarantees, but Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joseph Biden agreed last week to resume talks to discuss issues of concern to Russia.