NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said that Russia’s military build-up is a sign of the “new normal for European security”.

"What we are seeing now is a new normal for European security, where Russia contests fundamental principles for European security and where they are willing to use force as they have done in Ukraine and Georgia," he said.

Speaking after a meeting of Nato defence ministers with their counterparts in Ukraine and Georgia, Stoltenberg repeated his warnings about the Russia’s military build-up, while calling on Russia to look for a diplomatic solution, when asked about the situation by Fox News.

"They have enough troops, enough capabilities to launch a full fledged invasion of Ukraine with very little or no warning time and that is what makes the situation so dangerous. But it remains to be seen what they actually do … To have so many combat troops around Ukraine, it’s not a normal exercise. It’s never too late to de-escalate, it’s never too late to find a political solution." Stoltenberg said.

Nato had asked its military commanders to advise on next steps for a longer-term presence in Romania and the south-eastern flank of the alliance, he added.