Ukraine crisis live: Nato accuses Russia of trying to ‘rewrite entire global security architecture’

The EU is ready to launch a second set of sanctions against Russia if its troops move beyond Ukraine separatist regions, said Valdis Dombrovskis, the European Commission’s executive vice-president.

“If there is further Russian aggression and further incursion into Ukraine territory we are willing to step up our response also in terms of sanctions,” Dombrovskis told Reuters.

Dombrovskis sad sanctions would include export controls, for example. “Coming with strong sanctions against Russia is going to have some impact on the EU economy and we need to be ready for this,” he said.

“But here we have the security and territorial integrity of Ukraine at stake, and we have the broader security architecture at sake, so we need to be able to react and also take some economic cost, if it is necessary.”

More from the Guardian’s Julian Borger about reports of an imminent attack on Ukraine:

The Guardian can confirm that the warning of an imminent attack has gone out to Ukraine and allies and that the UK shared the US assessment.

Diplomats I have been talking to are aware the west has cried wolf once before, on 16 February, so there are caveats.

There was also a scare last night, when some intelligence suggested an all-out attack was about to happen but it turned out to be a false alarm.

The bottom line is there are large Russian formations on the move, so the assessment is that an onslaught could be unleashed at any time.

More on previous reporting about US intelligence warning Ukraine of an imminent attack: A senior US defence official has said that Russia has moved nearly 100% of its troops into position needed for an invasion.

The official was not able to confirm if additional troops had moved into the Donbas area.

“They are literally ready to go now if they get the order to go,” said the senior official regarding the 150,000 Russian troops that are at Ukraine’s borders.

The senior official added that the US will do “as much as we can as long as we can” to monitor Russian troop activity from air space, reported Reuters.

Two separate convoys of military equipment that did not have visible insignia were seen moving towards the city of Donetsk located in eastern Ukraine, reported Reuters.

One convoy included nine tanks as well as an infantry fighting vehicle. The other convoy included trucks and fuel tanks, according to a reporter on the ground.

There are reports today that US intelligence has warned Ukraine that an all-out attack is imminent.

Newsweek was the first to report this story, saying that the US warned the offensive would come within 48 hours.

CNN’s intelligence correspondent, Katie Bo Lillis has said her reporting confirmed the Newsweek story.

More from the Guardian’s Julian Borger on the developing report:

Katie Bo Lillis did not repeat the 48 hours timeline, just that an attack was said to be imminent, but she did say the city of Kharkiv would be particularly at risk.

US intelligence has given warnings of an all-out attack before, on February 16, which came and went, though some accounts said that US assessment was that Russian commanders were told to be ready from February 16, not necessarily for an attack on that day.

This story is developing – more to come.

The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, also spoke earlier on the Ukraine crisis, spelling out the dire consequences of Russia invading Ukraine for both countries and the global community.

Thomas-Greenfield speaking on how an invasion would affect Russian civilians:

Ordinary Russians should be asking how many Russian lives Putin is willing to sacrifice to feed his ambitions. If Russia continues down this path, it could … create a new refugee crisis with as many as 5 million more people displaced.

Thomas-Greenfield also added that a Russian invasion was something that no UN member state could look away from:

History tells us that looking the other way is ultimately the more costly path.

Urging cooperation between UN member states to counter Russia’s aggression, Thomas-Greenfield said:

Now is the time to get off the sidelines. Let us together show Russia that it is isolated and alone in its aggressive actions.

The Russian representative to the UN also spoke earlier during the meeting, accusing Ukraine of being anti-Russian and seemingly unhappy about UN involvement in the Ukraine crisis.

During his remarks, Vasily Nebenzya accused Ukraine of genocide and human rights violations against those living in Donbas, a claim that several sources have flagged as false.

Nebenzya also questioned the title of the UN assembly meeting, arguing that the title should reflect Ukraine losing territory due to its treatment of its own citizens.

Nebenzya, as he wrapped up his speech, said:

We urge you today to focus efforts on reigning in Kyiv and deterring it from conducting a new military adventure that might cost the whole of Ukraine very dearly. Thank you.

Full quote from the Ukrainian foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, warning the world about the global consequences of the Ukraine crisis:

I warn every nation in this distinguished chamber, no one will be able to sit out this crisis if President Putin decides that he can move forward with his aggression against Ukraine. Your governments and people will face painful consequences.

The United Nations general assembly meeting is happening now with delegates discussing the Ukraine crisis and Russia’s ongoing aggression.

The UN chief, António Guterres, said: “If the conflict in Ukraine expands, the world could see a scale and severity of need unseen for many years.”

Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, also spoke this morning to the general assembly about Russia’s aggression, urging other delegates that the crisis affects everyone.

“What is happening right now in eastern Ukraine … must be a concern for everyone. For all of you,” said Kuleba.

“No one will be able to sit out this crisis.”

Spain’s foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, recommended today that Spaniards left Ukraine temporarily as soon as possible, reported Reuters.

“We recommend to temporarily leave the country as soon as possible and advise against travelling to Ukraine under any circumstances,” said Albares to a parliamentary committee.

Albares confirmed that about 334 Spaniards remained in Ukraine.