Ousted President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich is expected to comment on the upcoming secession referendum in Crimea at a press conference in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don scheduled for 1 pm Moscow time.

      He already spoke to journalists after fleeing Ukraine on February 28.

      According to Vedomosti, the president in exile could offer a solution to the ongoing crisis.

      Crimeans are set to vote for joining Russia or staying as part of Ukraine on March 16.

      The West insists it will not recognize a referendum in a region largely populated by ethnic Russians.

      US Secretary of State John Kerry has postponed his visit to Russia where he was supposed to continue consultations on the possible solution to the Ukraine crisis.

      The statement was made on Monday at a meeting in the Kremlin.

      Earlier, Secretary of State John Kerry issued a diplomatic ultimatum to his Russia counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, according to a senior U.S. administration official.

      "He made clear that continued military escalation and provocation in Crimea or elsewhere in Ukraine, along with steps to annex Crimea to Russia would close any available space for diplomacy, and he urged utmost restraint," the official was quoted by CNN as saying.

      Kerry said the United States is ready to work with allies to facilitate a Ukraine-Russia dialogue, the official said.

      Russia-IC also reported that the U.S. is prepared to back up NATO militarily if the unrest in Ukraine escalates,

      "We're trying to tell [Russia] not to escalate this thing further into Eastern Ukraine, and allow the conditions to be set for some kind of resolution in the Crimea," Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey said in an interview with PBS Newshour's Judy Woodruff.

      When asked if there is a chance of U.S. military intervention in the Ukraine crisis, Dempsey replied, "That's a question that I think deserves to be assessed and reassessed and refreshed as this thing evolves."

      The US ups the ante after diplomatic negotiations have failed to produce a solution to the unfolding crisis in Ukraine after President Yanukovich was ousted from power following months of protests.

      Russia insists Ukraine’s interim authorities need to come back to the Crisis Settlement Agreement signed on February 21 in the presence of international mediators.

      The West has backed the new regime and put pressure on Russia to stop meddling in Crimea.

      Follow Russia-IC for more news on the Ukraine crisis.