The US believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin could move forward with invading Ukraine at ‘any time’.
In a briefing from the White House on Friday afternoon, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan denied a PBS report that the US believes Putin has made up his mind to invade Ukraine next week specifically. But Sullivan said, ‘We believe he very well may give the final go order’ soon.
‘We continue to see signs of Russian escalation including now forces arriving at the border. As we’ve said before, we’re in the window when an invasion could begin at any time should Vladimir Putin decide to order it,’ Sullivan said.
‘I will not comment on the details of our intelligence information but I do want to be clear, it could begin during the Olympics, despite a lot of speculation that it will only happen after the Olympics.’
Sullivan briefed reporters after President Joe Biden met virtually with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other world leaders to discuss the latest developments.
Shortly after the meeting, PBS reporter Nick Schifrin tweeted: ‘US officials anticipate a horrific, bloody campaign that begins with two days or aerial bombardment and electronic warfare, followed by an invasion, with the possible goal of regime change.’
Sullivan said he had not seen the PBS report but that the way a reporter characterized it, it ‘does not accurately capture what the US government’s view is today’. However, he did not fully deny it.
‘Our view is that we do not believe he (Putin) has made any kind of final decision, or we don’t know that he has made any final decision, and we have not communicated that to anybody,’ Sullivan said.
Earlier on Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said a Russian invasion of Ukraine ‘could begin at any time’ including while the Winter Olympics in Beijing are still going on.
The US continues ‘to see very troubling signs of Russian escalation, including new forces arriving at the Ukrainian border’, Blinken said.
Sullivan encouraged Americans in Ukraine ‘to depart immediately’.
‘We want to be crystal clear on this point. Any American in Ukraine should leave as soon as possible and in any event, in the next 24 to 48 hours,’ Sullivan said.
‘We obviously cannot predict the future. We don’t know exactly what is going to happen, but the risk is now high enough and the threat is now immediate enough.’
Biden on Thursday told NBC News that ‘American citizens should leave now’ and that the US is not planning a military operation to help its citizens depart Ukraine.
‘It’s not like we’re dealing with a terrorist organization. We’re dealing with one of the largest armies in the world. It’s a very different situation, and things could go crazy quickly,’ Biden said.
Asked by NBC News anchor Lester Holt if any situation could prompt Biden to send troops to rescue Americans, the president replied: ‘There’s not. That’s a world war when Americans and Russia start shooting at one another.’
In light of the alarming new development, Biden may speak with Putin over the phone. The leaders’ last phone call was in late December.
‘I expect that he will engage by telephone with President Putin, but I don’t have anything to announce for you on that right now,’ Sullivan said.
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