Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Peskov said the situation is laced with a huge amount of false information and warned of a high risk of crisis in Ukraine. He said Russian President Vladimir Putin is taking necessary steps to protect his country. Moscow is still waiting for an official response from Washington to its security proposals, and will decide on its next move based on the response, Peskov said.

EU foreign ministers on Monday released a joint statement urging Russia to participate in constructive dialogue within existing frameworks. The EU said it is speeding up preparations to impose new sanctions on Moscow.

The US Defense Department has put 8,500 American troops on “high alert” for possible deployment to Eastern Europe, as NATO and the United States brace for a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Pentagon announced on Monday.