NATO allies are holding emergency talks in Brussels on the crisis in Ukraine, the second time in three days, following a request from Poland.
In calling the meeting, Poland, a neighbour of Ukraine, invoked a NATO rule allowing any ally to consult with the others if it feels its security, territorial integrity or independence are under threat, the so-called Article 4.
"The developments in and around Ukraine are seen to constitute a threat to neighbouring Allied countries and having direct and serious implications for the security and stability of the Euro-Atlantic area," the alliance said in a statement.
NATO meetings under Article 4 are rare. Only Turkey has used the option before, calling for consultations three times, once during the 2003 war in Iraq and twice, two years ago, over the Syrian conflict.
US Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived on Tuesday in the Ukrainian capital Kiev in a show of support for the embattled state.
Before leaving for Kiev, Kerry called the presence of Russian soldiers in Crimea an occupation.
He also announced $1bn in loan guarantees to Ukraine.
Russia hopes its Western partners will not impose sanctions against Moscow over its actions in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said.
"We hope our partners will understand our position," he told reporters on Tuesday during a visit to Tunisia, adding that Russia's moves in Ukraine's Crimea region had been right.
"Nobody has a right to be angry with Russia. The European Union and the United States did not fulfil their obligations in Ukraine," he said, speaking through a translator. [Reuters]
Two Russian warships have entered the Black Sea through Bosphorus - the Istanbul Strait - on Tuesday.
The 150 'Saratov' landing ship and the 156 'Yamal' assault ship crossed the strait around 05:30 GMT, en route to the Black Sea, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.
No coast guard boats were seen escorting the ships.
Russia summoned the two warships to its Black Sea fleet after it started to strengthen its military presence in the Crimea.
Meanwhile, an Ukrainian vessel, 'Hetman Sahaidachny,' crossed the Dardanelles, a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara.
Two coast guard boats were reported by AA to be escorting the ship.
The Ukrainian ship is also expected to enter the Black Sea through the Bosphorus.
Thousands of Russian troops have been deployed to the Crimea, an autonomous region of Ukraine, after Russia’s Parliament passed a motion on Saturday.
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