President Vladimir Putin blasted sanctions, warned the West against crossing “red lines” in their relations with Russia and said Moscow would respond in “rapid and harsh” fashion to  hostile actions.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, speaking after a virtual meeting of bloc foreign ministers, sounded more alarms, and said the Russian troop presence had grown to 150,000 along Ukraine's eastern frontier. Calling it the biggest military buildup ever near Ukraine's borders, he added “a spark” was all that was needed to set off a major war. 

Some of the more radical, increasingly marginalised Armenian political figures have been actively speculating about - in an apparent attempt to appeal to their shrinking base and remain relevant – counterproductive territorial claims against Turkey. Their statements appear to be aimed at throwing a wrench into the inevitable restoration of diplomatic relations between Yerevan and Ankara.