Kremlin to act if US, NATO move near Russian border

The Kremlin said it may be forced to take "additional steps" if the US or NATO were to increase their presence near Russia's borders in response to a recent escalation in hostilities in eastern Ukraine.

In a statement Friday, U.S. President Joe Biden affirmed his "unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russia's ongoing aggression" following a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Russia has consistently denied having a military presence in the Donbass region.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Friday said any increased presence of the US in Ukraine would "require additional steps by Russia to ensure its security."

Peskov went on to accuse Ukraine of "repeated" provocations in the region and said that the "situation is truly frightening on the line of contact."

Conflict between Ukraine and Russia-backed separatists flared in 2014 after Russia's annexation of Crimea and its support for the separatists.

A year later France and Germany brokered the Minsk peace plan aimed at resolving the fighting.