Biden Considers Sending Troops to Ukraine

President Biden on Sunday was presented with options for the possibility of sending anywhere between 3,000 and 5,000 troops to Eastern Europe amid tensions between Ukraine and Russia, sources tell Fox News. The troops would go to countries including Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, as a warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin against invading Ukraine, sources say. Also under consideration is deploying naval vessels to ports in the area, some from the US and some from Europe. Other developments:

• US embassy: The US State Department is ordering the departure of some family members from the embassy in Kyiv, out of an "abundance of caution," it says in a statement. It has also authorized certain diplomats to depart voluntarily, and has strongly recommended US citizens in the country get out, Politico reports. It had previously issued the highest-level travel advisory for the country, telling US citizens not to travel there amid the threat of Russian military action.

• Weapons shipment: Ukraine on Sunday received a second shipment of weapons from the US to strengthen its defenses, CNN reports.
• The word from the US secretary of state: Antony Blinken said Sunday on State of the Union that "if a single additional Russian force goes into Ukraine in an aggressive way," the US and Europe would initiate "a swift, a severe and a united response," CNN reports.
• Sanctions: Blinken also addressed the Biden administration's decision not to impose preemptive sanctions on Russia. "The purpose of those sanctions is to deter Russian aggression," he said. "So if they're triggered now, you lose the deterrent effect." He pointed to other actions being taken to "deter and dissuade them from taking aggressive action, even as we pursue diplomacy at the same time."
• More on sanctions: The Washington Post has an explainer on a "novel export control" the US is considering deploying against Russia.

(More Ukraine stories.)