In view of the Russian troop deployment on the border with Ukraine, the chairman of the EPP group in the EU Parliament, Manfred Weber, has warned against a military escalation of the conflict.

"This situation is very worrying. An escalation of the war in eastern Ukraine cannot be ruled out," Weber told the newspaper Bild am Sonntag.

The situation is "a test for NATO and the Western community of values".

The forming German traffic light coalition also called on Weber to act.

It was important that NATO made it clear that "Russian action against Ukraine will come at a high price." This high price must now also be named, demanded Weber in the direction of the new coalition in Berlin. If Russian President Vladimir Putin “uses weapons, then the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will come to an end,” said Weber. The future federal government must clearly state this price.

The EU foreign affairs representative Josep Borrell has also expressed concern about the situation on the Ukrainian border. “Ukraine is certainly a partner, an ally. So we stand by their side, ”said Borrell of the Italian daily“ La Repubblica ”. At the meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Stockholm, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov denied any kind of warfare activities. According to Borrell, it is now a matter of showing Moscow an “outlook of possible consequences”. However, he did not say what could happen in the event of an attack by Russia. 

American President Joe Biden and Putin want to hold a video summit on Tuesday to discuss the heightened tensions in the Ukraine conflict. The conversation will last as long as the presidents wanted, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov. The White House confirmed the information. Washington accuses Moscow of preparing a military invasion of Ukraine, which the Russian government denies. Moscow had already announced the video call on Friday, but without giving an exact date.

On Saturday, according to Russian news agencies, Peskov announced the summit for Tuesday evening, Moscow time. During the conversation, Biden will "underscore US concerns about Russian military activities on the border with Ukraine and reaffirm US support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine," said US government spokeswoman Jen Psaki.

The tensions between Russia and the West in the Ukraine conflict had recently intensified significantly.

With Russian troops moving on the border with Ukraine, there are fears that Moscow might attack the neighboring country.

The government in Kiev warned on Friday of a major Russian attack in late January.

These fears were fueled by a report in the Washington Post newspaper.

Accordingly, Moscow's plans include "extensive movements of a hundred battalions of tactical units with an estimated 175,000 men, along with tanks, artillery and equipment".

Russian civil aircraft evades NATO scouts

The Pentagon did not want to comment specifically on the report when asked.

However, the US Department of Defense was "deeply concerned about evidence that Russia has made plans for aggressive action against Ukraine." 

According to the newspaper report, the Russian armed forces are currently gathering in four locations.

Accordingly, 50 tactical battle groups as well as tanks and artillery are involved in the deployment of troops.

The Washington Post referred to an unspecified US intelligence document.

Moscow denies any plans to attack.

In return, the Kremlin accuses Ukraine of letting the West arm itself with military equipment and denounces NATO military maneuvers near the Russian borders.

Putin warned the West and Ukraine against crossing the Kremlin's “red lines”.

In the midst of the tense situation, Russia has warned of incidents in the airspace.

A passenger aircraft of the state airline Aeroflot had to change its altitude on the way from Tel Aviv to Moscow over the Black Sea because of a NATO reconnaissance aircraft, said the Russian aviation authority on Sunday, according to the Interfax news agency.

The plane with 142 people on board had sunk 1,800 meters in order to pass the NATO plane at a safe distance.

According to the Russian authorities, the crew of the NATO CL-600 aircraft did not react.

At first there was no comment from NATO.