The latest on the Ukraine-Russia crisis

A summit between US President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin is unlikely, a senior administration official told reporters Monday, following intelligence and indications on the ground that Russia is likely to take military action in neighboring Ukraine.

On Sunday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Biden agreed "in principle" to a meeting with Putin sometime after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov meet on Thursday — as long as Russia does not further invade Ukraine.

But the official said that while the Biden administration was open to further engagements between the two leaders, “if we thought it made sense and could have a beneficial impact on the crisis,” intelligence reports indicating further Russian military action would preclude any leader-to-leader summit.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Joe Biden have agreed that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decrees recognizing two separatist pro-Moscow regions in Ukraine as independent “will not go unanswered," Scholz’s spokesperson said. 

In a statement Monday, Scholz’s spokesperson said Scholz spoke to Biden and Macron on Monday evening about the "deteriorating situation" after the Russian President formally recognized the two so-called People's Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk on Monday.

Scholz, Biden and Macron expressed their solidarity with Ukraine and commended Ukraine's cautious response to date, led by President Volodymyr Zelensky, he added.

"The partners agreed not to let up in their commitment to Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty. At the same time, every effort will be made to prevent the situation from escalating further," the spokesperson concluded. 

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has asked the UN Security Council for an urgent meeting, according to a tweet in the early hours of Tuesday morning local time. 

“Ukraine has requested an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council due to Russia’s illegal actions. We have already sent the request to the Council," Kuleba tweeted.

See the tweet here:

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to recognize Donetsk and Luhansk as independent “represents a complete rejection of Russia’s commitments under the Minsk agreements."

In statement Monday, Blinken added that the move "directly contradicts Russia’s claimed commitment to diplomacy, and is a clear attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

“We will continue to coordinate with Ukraine and our Allies and partners to take appropriate steps in response to this unprovoked and unacceptable action by Russia. The EO [executive order] is designed to prevent Russia from profiting off of this blatant violation of international law. It is not directed at the people of Ukraine or the Ukrainian government and will allow humanitarian and other related activity to continue in these regions,” he said.

Russian troops continue preparations for an invasion of Ukraine, but diplomacy will be pursued "until the tanks roll," a senior US administration official says. 

The official acknowledged Russian President Vladimir Putin's order of "peacekeeping" troops to enter Moscow-claimed regions in eastern Ukraine, but said the US would respond to Russian actions and not words. 

"We will observe and assess what actions Russia actually takes and respond accordingly," the official said.

The official declined to provide additional information or confirmation of Russian troops entering Ukraine, but said the US was closely observing events on the ground.

And the official noted that Russian troops operating in these regions wasn't a new phenomenon.

"This has been the state of affairs in that region" since 2014, the official said.

The official said the US would take additional actions to respond to Russia's recognition of the breakaway territories on Tuesday.

"We will take further measures tomorrow to hold Russia accountable for this clear violation of international law and Ukraine sovereignty and territorial integrity," the official said.

Watch CNN's Oren Liebermann report on the Pentagon reaction to Putin's remarks:

The US expects Russian troops could move as soon as tonight or tomorrow into Donbas for their so-called “peacekeeping” mission, a senior US official familiar with latest intelligence. 

The US is still seeing preparations for a potential broadening operation including loading amphibious ships and loading equipment for airborne units.

A decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday, which recognized two-pro Moscow breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, ordered Russian armed forces into the territories in what it called “peacekeeping functions.”

The US expects Russian troops could move as soon as tonight or tomorrow into Donbas for their so-called “peacekeeping” mission, according to a senior US official familiar with latest intelligence. 

The US is still seeing preparations for a potential broadening operation including loading amphibious ships and loading equipment for airborne units.

The United Kingdom will announce new sanctions on Russia on Tuesday, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Monday, following Putin's recognition of separatist regions in Ukraine.

"Tomorrow we will be announcing new sanctions on Russia in response to their breach of international law and attack on Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Truss said on her verified Twitter account.

Truss's tweet comes after the White House announced President Biden is planning to impose new restrictions on trade and financing in the two pro-Moscow territories.

The UK toughened its sanctions regime against Russia on Feb. 10, when the new legislation was laid in Parliament.

French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to recognize the separatist states of eastern Ukraine, the Elysée Palace said Monday in a press statement.

"This is clearly a unilateral violation of Russia's international commitments and an attack on the sovereignty of Ukraine," the Elysée said.

Macron is requesting, "an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council and for the adoption of targeted European sanctions," the Elysée also said.