President Joe Biden will consult with European leaders on Monday afternoon, as pressure builds between Russia and NATO over Ukraine. As NATO looks to bolster the alliance's eastern front amid the crisis by more military equipment and troops into countries along the front, the Pentagon announced it is putting 8,500 troops on heightened alert for possible deployment to eastern Europe on Monday. Russia has built up at least 100,000 troops on its border with Ukraine, threatening that conflict may be necessary to preserve its national security. Across Ukraine, thousands of civilians are participating in volunteer groups to receive basic combat training and — in time of war — would be under direct command of the Ukrainian military. While Ukrainian officials have acknowledged the country has little chance to fend off a full Russian invasion, Russian occupation troops would likely face a deep-rooted, decentralized and prolonged insurgency. Go to the link in our bio to read the latest updates. 📸: Sean Gallup (Getty Images), Andriy Dubchak (AP) | #ukraine #russia #NATO #Biden #easterneurope