(CNN) – Although Russia's foreign minister rejected claims his country was acting aggressively in Ukraine, his European Union counterparts met in Brussels to condemn what they called Russia's "clear violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity." They demanded Moscow pull its troops back or face possible sanctions.

Here in the U.S., State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Monday that sanctions against Russia weren't just possible, but likely.

Republican Rep. Ed Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee says Congress is ready to act.

"We're going to be very bullish on doing what we need to do to make ... Putin feel the heat, or at least have the oligarchs around him, the business community, feel the kinds of pressure that's going to come if they don't cease and desist," Royce said in an interview with CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper."

"The question is will the White House support something as aggressive as the economic sanctions that we would like to see pushed," said Royce.
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(CNN) – At an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting Monday to discuss the unfolding crisis in Ukraine, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin read a letter from ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, describing Ukraine as a country "on the brink of civil war," plagued by "chaos and anarchy."

The United States' ambassador accused Russia of breaking international law and responding to an "imaginary threat."

Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul agrees.
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(CNN) – Russia released statements of President Vladimir Putin's calls with leaders of Kazakhstan and Belarus Monday.

"The leaders discussed the development of the crisis in Ukraine, which is creating a real threat to the lives and legal interests of the Russian-speaking population, first and foremost in Crimea and the eastern regions of the country," Putin's office said.

This may be the precedent Russia is setting to justify its military incursion into Crimea, southern Ukraine, but mentioning the eastern regions of the country would seem to be setting the stage for perhaps their next move militarily.

"I'm deeply concerned by that, because, you know, these things start in one way and then there are unintended consequences," said former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul. "There's a shootout in one city and suddenly you have an action/reaction process that can create new kinds of movements into eastern Ukraine."
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