With over 100,000 Russian troops stationed near the Ukrainian border, the world is on the verge of a dangerous situation that might escalate into a war with far-reaching effects.
Russia's build-up of artillery near Ukraine, according to US authorities, gives it the potential to invade its neighbour on short notice. Russia, on the other hand, has consistently rejected any intention of launching an offensive against Ukraine.
In this context, on Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden spoke over the phone for an hour. Joe Biden warned during the call that an assault on Ukraine would have "swift and severe cost."
Meanwhile, other countries have requested that their residents in Ukraine return as soon as possible. Some countries are concerned that a conflict in Eastern Europe may lead to a large refugee catastrophe.
Here's how countries around the world are dealing with the crisis, from Australia to the United Kingdom, Hungary to France.
US
President Joe Biden reminded Russian President Vladimir Putin during their phone discussion on Saturday that invading Ukraine would result in "widespread human suffering" and that the West was dedicated to dialogue to resolve the conflict but "equally prepared for other scenarios."
According to the White House, Biden also stated that if Russia attacks its neighbour, the US and its allies would respond "decisively and impose swift and severe costs."
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has dispatched 3,000 additional US troops to Poland. The US has also encouraged all American citizens in Ukraine to leave the country immediately, warning that those who stay will not be rescued by the US military if air and rail transit is disrupted as a result of a Russian invasion.
The US has also declared that the majority of its workers will be evacuated from the embassy in Kiev. Consular services in Ukraine have been halted.
RUSSIA
Russian President Vladimir Putin has complained that the US and NATO have failed to meet Russian demands that Ukraine be barred from joining the military alliance and NATO forces be withdrawn from Eastern Europe.
Russia has stated that it does not intend to invade Ukraine. However, the country has amassed a force of well over 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border and has dispatched troops to neighbouring Belarus for drills, effectively encircling Ukraine on three sides.
UKRAINE
Thousands of Ukrainians braved the cold on Saturday to march through Kyiv to show togetherness in the face of a possible Russian invasion.
On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “Right now, the people’s biggest enemy is panic in our country. And all this information is only provoking panic and not helping us."
AUSTRALIA
Australia said on Sunday that it was evacuating its embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital. Prime Minister Scott Morrison also urged China not to remain "chillingly silent" in the face of the crisis.
According to an official announcement, Australia's embassy staff in Kyiv has been directed to a temporary location in Lviv, a city in western Ukraine around 70 kilometres (44 miles) from the Polish border.
The country has recommended its residents to leave Ukraine by commercial methods as soon as possible.
HUNGARY
Hungary Viktor Orban, Hungary's prime minister, warned on Saturday that a Russian invasion of Ukraine may result in hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees pouring across his country's border.
In his speech, he called for a peaceful resolution to Europe's mounting tensions. He claimed that it was in Hungary's best interests to "avoid war," which he claimed would result in a flood of Ukrainian migrants and economic damage.
UK
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has urged its citizens to leave Ukraine "by any means possible". "They should not expect, as they saw in the summer with Afghanistan, that there would be any possibility of a military evacuation," said junior defence minister James Heappey.
Britain, on the other hand, keeps a diplomatic presence in Ukraine.
FRANCE
On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke via phone. During the call, Putin made no mention of plans to attack Ukraine, according to a French diplomat.
"We are nevertheless extremely vigilant and alert to the Russian (military) posture in order to avoid the worst," the official added.
France has encouraged its citizens to avoid travelling to Ukraine, and plans are in the works for embassy workers and their families to leave the country if they so desire.
NEW ZEALAND
In response to increased tensions between Russia and Ukraine, New Zealand's foreign ministry asked all New Zealanders in Ukraine to leave immediately on Saturday.
"New Zealand does not have diplomatic representation in Ukraine and the government’s ability to provide consular assistance to New Zealanders in Ukraine is therefore very limited," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
"The security situation in Ukraine could change at short notice and New Zealanders should not rely on support with evacuating in these circumstances."