Russian troops near the Ukrainian border will return to its permanent bases after completing its military exercises, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said, calling for a "de-escalation" of rhetoric.
Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has ridiculed the sanctions earlier placed on him and 11 other Russian officials by the West in response to the annexing of Crimea.
The European Union earlier confirmed Mr Rogozin and two of Vladimir Putin's aides were among the dozen Russians banned from travel and facing an assets freeze.
Mr Rogozin earlier tweeted: "All these sanctions aren't work a grain of the Crimean land that returned to Russia," before later adding:
An unusually frank Nato Secretary General issued an unequivocal warning on the course of events should Russia attack Latvia or Estonia.
The West responds with sanctions and closer political ties with Ukraine as Russia's President seals the annexing of Crimea to much fanfare.
Supporters of the controversial fracking industry believe shale gas could be America's most potent weapon in the stand-off with Russia.