Russia's President Vladimir Putin informed UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday that NATO nations were endangering Russia by increasing their operations in Ukraine, according to the Kremlin, according to CGTN.
According to US intelligence, Russia may be launching a multi-front invasion on Ukraine's border as early as next year, including up to 175,000 troops.
The Kremlin denies that it is planning an invasion and claims that the West is suffering from "Russophobia." Moscow claims that NATO's expansion poses a threat to Russia and violates 1991 pledges.
"Vladimir Putin gave a detailed outline of his principal evaluation of the current situation around Ukraine," the Kremlin said of the call with Johnson.
"It was underlined that all this is happening against the background of active military 'expansion' on the territory of Ukraine by NATO countries, creating a direct threat to the security of Russia," the Kremlin said.
According to Downing Street, Johnson told Putin that any destabilising move against Ukraine would be a strategic blunder with serious implications.
Johnson also "stressed the UK's commitment to Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty, and cautioned that any destabilising action would be a strategic blunder with serious implications," according to the statement.
"He expressed the United Kingdom's deep concern over the build-up of Russian forces on Ukraine's border and reiterated the importance of working through diplomatic channels to de-escalate tensions and identify durable solutions."
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