Russia shows signs of cooling down Ukraine escalation

Russia has agreed to a meeting with NATO representatives on Wednesday to discuss the Ukraine crisis, Italian foreign minister Federica Mogherini said on Tuesday.

President Vladimir Putin said Russia saw no need to use military force in the Crimea region of Ukraine for now, in remarks apparently intended to ease East-West tension over fears of war in the former Soviet republic.

The use of force by Russia in Ukraine would be a choice of last resort, Putin said, and sanctions being considered against Moscow by the West would be counter-productive.

The Russian President told a news conference at his state residence outside Moscow there had been an ''unconstitutional coup'' in Ukraine - and ousted leader Viktor Yanukovich, an ally of Russia, was still the legitimate leader of the country despite having ceded all power.

Earlier, Putin ordered troops involved in a military exercise in western Russia back to base on Tuesday in an announcement that appeared intended to ease East-West tension over fears of war in Ukraine.

The United States has begun spelling out its response to Russia's incursion, announcing a suspension of all military engagements with Russia, including military exercises and port visits, and freezing trade and investment talks with Moscow. US Secretary of State, John Kerry, arrived in Kyiv yesterday to hold talks with the new Ukraine leadership.

President Barack Obama had more than two hours of talks on Monday with his national security advisers to discuss what steps the United States and its allies could take to ''further isolate'' Russia, a White House official said.

(See:  China backs Russia over Ukraine)