INTERNATIONAL: NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has announced on Thursday Russia’s military presence is growing on the Ukrainian border.

"We see no sign that this build-up is stopping or slowing down. On the contrary, it continues," he declares after a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. He has added that there were Russian combat-ready troops, tanks and artillery on the border.

The Kremlin denies any plan to invade Ukraine. It says it has legitimate security interests in the region and on Wednesday handed proposals to the United States that NATO should not expand eastwards or place new weapons systems near Russia's borders.

Meanwhile, EU leaders meeting for a summit in Brussels will warn of "massive consequences" if Russia were to invade Ukraine, according to a draft final summit statement seen by Reuters.

Stoltenberg has said the alliance stood ready for talks with Moscow but would "never compromise on the right of every single sovereign nation as Ukraine to choose its own path".

Germany, France and Ukraine sought on 15 December to revive the "Normandy" format, a diplomatic peace initiative with Russia to end a conflict in eastern Ukraine set against pro-Russian separatists against Kyiv's forces.