European Union countries must work together on a new stability and security deal that they could then discuss with Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron told the European Parliament on Wednesday.
"The security of our continent is indivisible," Macron said referring to Russia, adding that Europe must define its own security standards.
He then added that Europe must "bring ourselves to a position to make sure they can be respected."
Defensive weapon systems supplied by the UK arrive in Kiev, Ukraine, January 18, 2022. /CFP
On the same day, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba spoke to European Union top diplomat Josep Borrellon, saying the cost of deterring Russia now will always be lower than the possible future price of stopping a new war.
"In our call @JosepBorrellF and I discussed ways for Transatlantic community to jointly deter Russia from further aggression," Kuleba said on Twitter. "My message to all EU members is clear: whatever the price of deterrence now, it will always be lower than the possible future price of stopping a new war."
As the tension escalated, leaders of other countries have voiced fears of a possible invasion of Ukraine by tens of thousands of Russian troops gathered near the border.
Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who arrived in Kyiv for talks, warned that Russia could launch a new attack at "very short notice."
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday that Russia must not be allowed to change its national borders by force and "silence is not a reasonable option" when talking about the situation on Russia's border with Ukraine.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will visit Ukraine "within a few weeks," his spokesman Ibrahim Kalin was quoted as saying by Turkey's state media on Wednesday, adding that Turkey was in contact with it and Russia on resolving mounting tensions.
Speaking at a panel late on Tuesday, Kalin said Turkey did not want to see any kind of military conflict between the two countries and was fully committed to Ukraine's territorial integrity.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock holds talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during her visit to Ukraine, January 17, 2022./ CFP
On Monday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during her visit to Ukraine to seek a diplomatic solution to the crisis between Ukraine and Russia. Following her trip to Ukraine, Baerbock flew to Moscow in the evening and held talks with her Russian counterpart, Serget Lavrov, the next day.
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(With input from agencies)