A top US general has warned of "horrific" consequences of armed conflict in Ukraine. The general said any Russian action would result in many deaths. He said: "An invasion will not be cost-free in terms of casualties." He told reporters that Russia's 100,000 troops on Ukraine's border was very worrying. He said: "This is larger in scale and scope...than anything we have seen in recent memory, and I think you'd have to go back quite a while into the Cold War days to see something of this magnitude." Russia says it has no plans to invade. It says US support for Ukraine is the biggest threat.
Russia accused the USA and NATO of being the aggressors in the latest tensions. It says it is unacceptable for NATO forces to be so close to Russia's borders. Moscow called for Ukraine to be banned from joining NATO. The US rejected this request. NATO said Ukraine had the right to choose its own allies. Russia said NATO should end any military activity in Eastern Europe, and pull troops out of Poland and the Baltic states. It called for NATO not to deploy missiles in countries near or bordering Russia. Ukraine's president accused the West of creating "panic" over a possible invasion.