White House responds to report Russia will invade Ukraine: ‘We are ready either way’ – live | US news

The Guardian’s Julian Borger and Dan Sabbagh report:

The US has warned of the “very distinct risk” of a Russian invasion of Ukraine within the subsequent few days, probably involving an amazing assault on Kyiv, and instructed all remaining People to go away the nation within the subsequent 48 hours.

Diplomatic sources mentioned that Joe Biden had instructed allies leaders in a name that Vladimir Putin had taken a choice to go forward with an invasion, however Jake Sullivan, the nationwide safety adviser, mentioned that the US didn’t consider the Putin had given “a ultimate go order”.

“I’ll say that the best way that he has constructed up his forces and put them in place, together with the opposite indicators that we’ve collected by intelligence, makes it clear to us that there’s a very distinct risk that Russia will select to behave militarily, and there may be cause to consider that that would occur on a fairly swift timeframe,” Sullivan mentioned.

“Now, we will’t pinpoint the day at this level, and we will’t pinpoint the hour however what we will say is that there’s a credible prospect {that a} Russian navy motion would happen, even earlier than the top of the Olympics.” The Winter Olympics in China shut on 20 February.

Joe Biden held a video name with a number of European leaders right now to debate the disaster in Ukraine and potential responses if Russia strikes ahead with an invasion.

“The leaders expressed their concern about Russia’s continued build-up of navy forces round Ukraine and reaffirmed their assist for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the White Home mentioned in its readout of the decision.

“They expressed their need for a diplomatic resolution to the disaster, and mentioned current engagements with Russia in a number of codecs. The leaders agreed on the significance of coordinated efforts to discourage additional Russian aggression towards Ukraine, together with their readiness to impose huge penalties and extreme financial prices on Russia ought to it select navy escalation, and to proceed reinforcing the defensive posture on NATO’s jap flank.”

The members of the decision included British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Joe Biden has simply left the White Home and boarded Marine One to begin the journey to Camp David, the place he’ll spend the weekend.

Because the president walked out to the helicopter, reporters shouted questions in regards to the imminent menace of a Russian assault on Ukraine, because the White Home warns an invasion might happen through the Beijing Olympics.

However the US president didn’t reply any questions.

The Guardian’s Andrew Roth, Dan Sabbagh and Shaun Walker report:

Western intelligence companies more and more consider that Vladimir Putin has now put in place sufficient troops to aim an invasion, a sentiment mirrored in warnings within the final 24 hours from each Joe Biden and Boris Johnson. However, they proceed to consider no ultimate choice by the Russian chief has been made.

A lot of invasion situations are thought of potential, however there’s a prevailing perception that any navy intervention ordered by Putin can be designed to realize regime change in Kyiv.

That would see a lightning assault, aimed toward encircling the capital, with the intention of forcing the collapse of Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s authorities, and attempting to put in a pro-Russian regime with out city warfare.

Johnson emphasised on Thursday that any invasion would quantity to an enormous miscalculation by Putin as a result of Ukraine would “combat and they’re going to resist very strongly”. Any perception within the Kremlin {that a} Russian intervention can be welcome by something aside from a tiny minority was mistaken, British ministers mentioned.

A reporter requested Jake Sullivan whether or not the Biden administration feels obligated to offer underlying intelligence to justify officers’ claims in regards to the imminent menace of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The reporter nodded to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, when defective US intelligence about weapons of mass destruction was used to justify an enormous navy operation.

Sullivan argued that there was a “basic distinction” between the invasion of Iraq and the disaster in Ukraine, saying the US was now trying to stop a bloody conflict.

“Within the scenario in Iraq, intelligence was used and deployed from this very podium to begin a conflict,” Sullivan mentioned. “We try to cease a conflict, to stop a conflict, to avert a conflict.”

Sullivan additionally famous that People can see for themselves that Russia is increase its troop presence alongside Ukraine’s borders, not like when the US falsely claimed there have been weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

“You possibly can consider your individual eyes that the Russians have put in place the capabilities to conduct an enormous navy operation towards Ukraine ought to they select to take action,” Sullivan mentioned.

Jake Sullivan contradicted the report from PBS Newshour, saying US intelligence doesn’t at present point out that Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a ultimate choice about invading Ukraine.

A reporter then requested the nationwide safety adviser whether or not Joe Biden intends to talk to Putin quickly to proceed diplomatic efforts to keep away from an invasion.

“I might anticipate that President Biden will interact by phone with President Putin, however I don’t have something to announce for you on that proper now,” Sullivan mentioned.

The US nationwide safety adviser, Jake Sullivan, urged all People nonetheless in Ukraine to go away within the subsequent 24 to 48 hours, citing the hazard of a possible Russian invasion.

“We clearly can’t predict the longer term. We don’t know precisely what’s going to occur,” Sullivan mentioned on the White Home press briefing.

“However the threat is now excessive sufficient and the menace is now rapid sufficient that that is what prudence calls for. In the event you keep, you might be assuming dangers with no assure that there will probably be every other alternative to go away.”

Sullivan added that there can be “no prospect of a US navy evacuation within the occasion of a Russian invasion” so Americans have to make plans to go away the nation instantly.

“If a Russian assault on Ukraine precedes, it’s more likely to start with aerial bombing and missile assaults that would clearly kill civilians with out regard to their nationality,” Sullivan mentioned.

Joe Biden delivered an identical message yesterday, urging all People nonetheless in Ukraine to go away as a result of “issues might go loopy rapidly” if Russia invades.

“Americans ought to depart, ought to depart now,” Biden instructed NBC Information. “We’re coping with one of many largest armies on this planet. This can be a very completely different scenario and issues might go loopy rapidly.”

The US is “prepared both approach” whether or not Russian President Vladimir Putin decides to invade Ukraine or not, mentioned Jake Sullivan, the US nationwide safety adviser.

“As we’ve mentioned earlier than, we’re within the window when an invasion might start,” Sullivan instructed reporters on the White Home press briefing.

Sullivan wouldn’t verify the PBS Newshour report that Putin has determined to invade Ukraine and has communicated that option to Russian navy leaders.

“I can’t touch upon the small print of our intelligence data,” Sullivan mentioned. “However I do need to be clear, it might start through the Olympics, regardless of lots of hypothesis that it could solely occur after the Olympics. As we’ve mentioned earlier than, we’re prepared both approach.”

Sullivan emphasised that the US and its allies proceed to discover diplomatic choices to deescalate tensions in Ukraine, at the same time as Russia has continued to constructed up its troop presence alongside Ukrainian borders.

Sullivan warned that, if Russia ought to determine to invade Ukraine, the US and its allies will “reply decisively” by extreme financial sanctions.

US officers consider Russian President Vladimir Putin has determined to invade Ukraine, and the operation is anticipated to start subsequent week, based on PBS Newshour.

The PBS report comes hours after the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, mentioned a Russian invasion might happen at any second and will occur through the Beijing Olympics.

Nevertheless, US officers haven’t but publicly confirmed that they anticipate an invasion to happen subsequent week , and the White Home has not declassified any intelligence to substantiate that declare.

The US nationwide safety adviser, Jake Sullivan, is now talking on the White Home press briefing, and he’s addressing the Ukraine disaster. Keep tuned for extra particulars.

Within the newest episode of Politics Weekly Further, the Guardian’s Jonathan Freedland speaks to native Ohioan politics reporter, Andrew Tobias, about why the Senate and gubernatorial midterm races are shaping as much as be a litmus take a look at for the affect of Trumpism in Republican success.

Take heed to the total episode:

Right here’s the place the day stands up to now:

• Joe Biden urged People in Ukraine to go away the nation, saying “issues might go loopy rapidly” if Russia invades. Biden’s message got here as his secretary of state, Antony Blinken, warned that Russia could transfer ahead with an assault earlier than the top of the Beijing Olympics, an evaluation that contradicts earlier assessments by the US and its allies.
• Biden spoke to a number of leaders of allied nations this morning in regards to the disaster in Ukraine. Biden organized a digital assembly with European leaders to debate “our shared issues about Russia’s continued buildup of navy forces round Ukraine and continued coordination on each diplomacy and deterrence,” the White Home mentioned.
• Biden signed an govt order to allocate $7bn in funds to humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan and American households impacted by terrorism. The manager order entails the US-held funds of Afghanistan’s central financial institution, which had been frozen after the Taliban takeover of the nation. Biden allotted $3.5bn of these funds for humanitarian tasks in Afghanistan, which is going through widespread hunger as a result of nation’s financial collapse, and one other $3.5bn for American households affected by Taliban terrorism. A few of these households misplaced family members within the September 11 assaults and have filed lawsuits towards the Taliban.

The weblog may have extra arising, so keep tuned.

The US and its allies have gathered intelligence suggesting Russia could transfer to invade Ukraine even earlier than the Beijing Olympics finish later this month, based on CNN.

US officers had beforehand indicated they thought Vladimir Putin would wait to stage an assault till after the Olympics to keep away from angering his ally, Chinese language President Xi Jinping.

However US Secretary of State Antony Blinken indicated these assessments had shifted, saying in Melbourne right now, “We’re in a window when an invasion might start at any time – and to be clear, that features through the Olympics.”

The Biden administration has beforehand been pressed to declassify some intelligence to corroborate its claims about Russia’s plans in Ukraine, and CNN stories that the US could declassify a few of its stories later right now.