Military escalation

Last week, Russia and Belarus launched a major joint military exercise, maneuvers that will last until February 20.

An estimated 100,000 Russian soldiers are near the Ukrainian border.

The Russian navy also has a number of warships in place in the Black Sea, near the southern coast of Ukraine.

Recent satellite imagery is said to show that Russia has amassed significant amounts of military equipment and artillery near Belarus, near Ukraine, data that is unusually unanimously rejected by both Ukraine and Russia.

However, Ukraine has reacted angrily to the military presence and has formally protested against the Russian ships in the Black Sea.

According to them, Russia is engaged in hybrid warfare with the aim of isolating Ukraine from international waters.

Ukraine, in turn, has responded with its own military exercises.

Threats of sanctions

In recent weeks, the United States has repeatedly indicated that a Russian invasion may be imminent.

Recently, the country claimed that an attack could come in the coming days.

The United States has begun evacuating its embassy in Kiev and has promised to act "quickly and forcefully" if Russian troops attack.

At the same time, Ukraine has tried to tone down the threat of war.

Russia vehemently denies the allegations, saying the United States is trying to create "hysteria" and terror.

But Ukraine can not count on any military aid from the United States or NATO.

The United States has instead promised to impose "the mother of all sanctions" against Russia if war breaks out.

Exactly what that would mean is still unclear.

Ukraine, on the other hand, has received arms deliveries from several NATO countries, including Poland and the Baltic states.

Germany, on the other hand, has consistently refused to send weapons to Ukraine.

Many raised their eyebrows when the Germans offered 5,000 helmets to the Ukrainian army, a move called "a joke" by the mayor of Kiev.

Ongoing diplomacy

A number of world leaders, including Britain's Boris Johnson, France's Emmanuel Macron and the United States' Joe Biden, have discussed the tense situation with Russia's Vladimir Putin.

They all agree on maintaining diplomatic contacts, but the talks have not affected Russia's presence at the border.

Last Sunday, Ukraine requested a meeting with Russia and other OSCE member states on tensions.