The Pentagon announced the 8,500 troops are US-based and stressed there was no plan to deploy them at this time, but that they would be ready in case the NATO Response Force was activated 

'It's very clear the Russians have no intention right now of de-escalating,' DoD spokesman John Kirby said

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki warned that an alleged coup plot by Russia to overthrow Ukraine's leadership would be a 'severe escalation' at her daily briefing on Monday 

A new report reveals Joe Biden is finalizing his plans to deploy U.S. forces to Eastern Europe 

Several U.S. officials told CNN the administration is in the final stages of identifying which military units to send to deter Russia and is preparing deployment orders 

Biden will hold a Situation Room video call with European partners and allies Monday at 3 p.m.

The Ukraine Foreign Ministry's spokesperson criticized the U.S. State Department's decision to withdraw some embassy staff and families in a Monday morning Twitter post and called it 'premature' 

President Biden is considering deploying several thousand American troops together with warships and aircraft, to NATO ally countries located in the Baltics 

Both the United States and United Kingdom are set to withdraw some diplomats from their embassies in Kyiv

The European Union has said it will not yet pull its diplomats from Kyiv and warned against 'dramatizing' the situation as other Western governments begin to cautiously evacuate their citizens 

During a meeting at Camp David over the weekend, Pentagon officials outlined various options to Biden

Options would see American military might move a step closer to Russian border

Among strategies being considered, between 1,000 to 5,000 troops could be relocated to countries in Eastern Europe 

There would also be a potential to increase to 50,000 should the need arise

None of the military options would see the deployment of additional American troops to Ukraine 

Ukraine's Defense Minister said Sunday night the government had received a second shipment of weapons from the United States

Meanwhile Moscow said it will be conducting its own war games off the coast of Ireland in February