U.S. warns renewed Russian aggression in Ukraine will trigger "serious consequences"

Any renewed Russian aggression in Ukraine would trigger "serious consequences," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday during a visit to Latvia, where NATO foreign ministers assembled to discuss the recent buildup of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border. In recent weeks, the U.S. and other officials have been sounding the alarm over Russia amassing troops near its border with Ukraine, concerned that an offensive or an escalation of a seven-year-long conflict in the volatile eastern region of Donbas could be on the horizon.

Blinken called the Russian troop movements "unusual" and added any escalatory actions by Russia would be of "great concern" to the United States.

Russian officials said the reports of a military buildup are baseless and in turn accused NATO of building more of a foothold in what Russia considers its own backyard.