Moscow/Kyiv - Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday in a defiant speech to the nation, declared 16 February a "day of unity". He called on the country's people to fly flags and sing the national anthem and praised the strength of the Ukrainian military.

Ukrainian government officials stressed that Zelenskiy was not predicting an attack on Wednesday but responding sceptically to the foreign media reports.

The Ukrainian president ended his speech on an optimistic note: "Now you may think it's darkness all around. But tomorrow the sun will rise again over our peaceful sky."

Scholz to visit Putin

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz heads to Moscow on Tuesday to meet President Vladimir Putin in a high stakes mission to avert war, with Russia's largest trading partner in Europe warning of far-reaching sanctions if it attacks Ukraine.

Scholz's one-day trip, after visiting Kyiv on Monday, is part of frantic Western diplomacy to try to stop a potential attack as more than 100,000 Russian troops mass on Ukraine's borders.

Russia seeks diplomatic path
The Kremlin and the West held out the possibility of a diplomatic path out of the Ukraine crisis, even as Russia appeared to continue preparations for a potential invasion.

President Vladimir Putin in a meeting with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov gestured on Monday that Russia was ready to keep talking about the security threats that have led to the crisis.

The comments seemed designed to tell the world about Putin’s own position and offered some hope that war could be averted. Washington, London and other allies maintain their warnings that troops could move on Ukraine as soon as Wednesday.

US-UK agree on possibility of deal
Joe Biden and Boris Johnson, in a 40-minute call, agreed a deal was still possible despite a warning of imminent Russian military action.

In their conversation, the leaders said there remained a "crucial window" for diplomacy and for Russia to step back from its threats towards Ukraine, according to a Downing Street statement.

"The leaders emphasised that any further incursion into Ukraine would result in a protracted crisis for Russia, with far-reaching damage for both Russia and the world," the statement added.

The US urged all Americans in Belarus and the Russian-backed Moldovan breakaway region of Trans-Dniester to leave immediately. The government cited unusual and concerning Russian military activity around Ukraine.

The Pentagon said Russia was growing military deployments near the Ukraine border and that President Vladimir Putin had many options available if he wanted to use military force.

UK warned that Russian bombs and missiles could begin landing on key targets in Ukraine with almost no notice if Moscow gives the order for an offensive to begin.

Speaking to Sky News on Friday, Armed Forces Under-Secretary James Heappey told Britons in Ukraine that they are at risk of great danger if Russia decides to invade.

The US State Department announced on Monday that it will temporarily move embassy operations in Ukraine from Kiev to Lviv, citing concerns over the alleged buildup of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border and the "safety" of US personnel.

UN seeks peaceful solution
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned against "incendiary rhetoric" and said he would leave no stone unturned in the search for a peaceful solution.

"We simply cannot accept even the possibility of such a disastrous confrontation," he told reporters after having lunch with U.N. Security Council ambassadors.

"The time is now to defuse tensions and deescalate actions on the ground. There is no place for incendiary rhetoric. Public statements should aim to reduce tensions, not inflame them," said Guterres.

The United Nations has no plans to evacuate or relocate out of Ukraine any of its more than 1,600 staff - of which 220 are foreign staff and more than 1,400 are Ukrainian - U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Monday.

Catholic Church prays for peace
The bishops of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States issued a statement on Saturday requesting prayers as the potential of increased conflict in Ukraine comes to a head.

Pope Francis urged world leaders on Sunday, to seek a peaceful solution to the situation in and around Ukraine. Speaking at the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope said the news coming out of Ukraine is “very worrying”.

He entrusted the situation to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
-Reuters/BBC/AP