MOSCOW/DONETSK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States and its allies sought to step up sanctions pressure on Russia on Wednesday over the deployment of troops in separatist regions of eastern Ukraine, in one of the worst security crises in Europe in decades.

One soldier died and six others were injured in an increase in shelling from pro-Russian separatists over 24 hours. This was according to the Ukrainian military.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has deployed more than 150,000 soldiers near Ukraine’s borders according to U.S. estimations. He also signed a decree for the deployment in “keep the peace” troops within the Luhansk and Donetsk enclaves, a claim the United States considers “nonsense”.

Putin recognized Monday the Donbass separatist enclaves of east Ukraine that border Russia. It intensified Western fears about major wars in Europe, raising concerns of possible invasions beyond these breakaway regions.

Japan, Australia, Canada, Britain, Australia and Canada responded to the threat of targeting elites and banks with plans. Germany also stopped a large-scale Russian gas pipeline.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss announced additional measures Wednesday to stop Russia’s sale of sovereign debts in London.

Truss explained to Sky, “We’ve made it very clear that Russian access will be limited to British markets.” “We will stop Russia from raising sovereign debts in the United Kingdom,” Truss said to Sky.

On Tuesday, Britain announced sanctions against three billionaires and five lenders with close ties to Putin.

It has, however, stated that additional sanctions will be imposed if Russia invades its neighbor, just like the other U.S. allies.

Truss declared that Russia would impose tougher sanctions on the key Russian oligarchs as well as key Russia-related organisations, in order to restrict Russia’s access at financial markets.

Sergei Lavrov (Russian Foreign Minister) dismissed threats of sanctions on Tuesday.

He stated that “our European, American and British colleagues won’t stop” until Russia has been punished for all its possible ways.

According to a spokeswoman from the Foreign Ministry, China denied that sanctions are the best method of solving problems. She called for “dialogue and consultation”.

Moscow demands security guarantees. It includes the promise that Ukraine will not join NATO. Meanwhile, the United States offers Putin confidence-building steps and arms control to disarm the stand-off.

The satellite imagery of the last 24 hours shows several new troop deployments in Western Russia. More than 100 vehicles were also seen at an airfield in South Belarus that borders Ukraine. According to Maxar U.S.,

According to the Armed Forces, Ukraine started recruiting reservists between 18 and 60 years old following President Volodymyr Zilenskiy’s decree.

BOLSTERING NATO FLANCK

On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary-of-State Antony Blinken cancelled two scheduled meetings with Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris. This was after weeks of intense diplomacy that failed to bring an end to the crisis.

U.S. President Joe Biden has announced that 800 soldiers will be sent to Estonia and Latvia to assist with the support of Lithuania. The F-35 fighter aircrafts can also go to NATO’s eastern flank. A U.S. official stated that these plans are not new but a redistribution.

According to Russian media, Dmitry Peskov (Kremlin spokesperson), Putin didn’t watch Biden’s speech. Russia will then look at the United States outline before it responds, Dmitry Peskov said.

Putin claimed that while he was open to finding diplomatic solutions, he also stated that the “interests of Russia” and the safety of his citizens were unconditional.

Germany stated Tuesday it will stop construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, worth $11 Billion (MCX) by Gazprom, a Russian gas giant owned state-owned. This move is likely to drive up gas prices throughout Europe.

While the project was approved by Germany, it had to be built. Although the goal of the pipeline was to alleviate the rising energy costs for European consumers, its critics include the United States who have long complained that the pipe would lead Europe into greater dependence on Russia.

Robert Habeck, German Economy Minister, warned that European gas prices could rise quickly. Dmitry Medvedev (Russia’s ex-president and currently deputy chairman of the Security Council), suggested that prices might double.

According to Putin, Russia wants to maintain uninterrupted energy supplies to the rest of the world.

U.S. sanctioned Russia’s elites and 2 state-owned bankers. This excluded them from U.S. banks system and banned them trading with Americans. The sanctions also aim to block Western finance from the Russian government.