Russia can choose negotiations or sanctions, Canada's defence minister says in Ukraine

Defence Minister Anita Anand arrived in a snowy Kyiv on Sunday and echoed the warnings of western allies about the looming threat of an invasion by Russia amid an increasingly frosty international deadlock over the crisis in eastern Europe.

The Ukrainian government has been signalling that military action on the part of Moscow is not imminent and that western allies need to dial back the alarmist talk.

The country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, on Friday tried to buck up the spirits of his people, and Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba was quoted in a statement on Saturday calling on the West to remain "vigilant and firm in contacts with the Russian side."

But he also asked them to "refrain from steps that could fuel anxiety" in Ukrainian society and "undermine the financial stability" of the country.

U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said Russia has put in place all of the elements for an invasion of Ukraine, which a top Pentagon official said would be "horrific."

Anand didn't use any inflammatory language but said Canada remains concerned and stands by the stark assessments of allies.

"It is difficult for me to say what intelligence the Ukrainian government has," said Anand, who noted she had only just arrived and not yet met with her counterparts.

"The intelligence we are utilizing is consistent with our allies across the NATO alliance."

Anand said there is "intelligence that is sound, that there is increasing escalation of Russian troops at the Ukrainian border, including in Belarus," adding that "we believe that Russia has a choice, and that choice is to negotiate with a view to de-escalation" or it will "face severe sanctions and consequences."

She said the assessments helped inform the decision to move Canadian military trainers to locations west of the Dnieper River, which divides Ukraine into two parts.

Meanwhile, Canada will temporarily withdraw non-essential employees and their families from the Canadian Embassy in Ukraine, Global Affairs Canada said in a statement on Sunday.

Last Tuesday, the Canadian government said it's withdrawing the family members of diplomatic staff stationed in Ukraine amid heightened fears of a Russian invasion.

"As announced earlier this week, Canada will be reinforcing the team at the Canadian Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, with officials with expertise in areas such as security sector reform, conflict management, democratic reform, consular services and diplomacy," Sunday's statement said.

It said the embassy remains open for Canadians who need assistance.