Putin and Biden to hold telephone conversation amid rising tensions in Ukraine
Despite diplomatic efforts, the crisis in Ukraine continues unabated. According to US intelligence reports, a Russian invasion is closer than ever. Three officials in Joe Bien's administration told PBS's Nick Schifrin that Washington believes Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine and has already communicated that decision to the military.
The US expects the invasion to begin next week. National security adviser Jake Sullivan warns that the aggression may even begin "during the Olympic Games". The Biden administration anticipates "a horrific and bloody campaign" that would begin with two days of aerial bombardment and electronic warfare, ending with an invasion aimed at regime change in Kiev.
Against this backdrop, Washington has called on all its nationals in Ukraine to leave the country within 48 hours. "Anyone who stays will be taking a risk with no guarantee that there will be another opportunity to leave," Sullivan warned.
Last January, the US already ordered the evacuation of non-essential personnel from its embassy in Kiev, but now it has included the diplomatic corps as well. The vast majority, some 200 US staff, will be moved to the far west of Ukraine, near the Polish border, to maintain a delegation in the country, according to the Associated Press.
Washington has also decided to send an additional 3,000 troops to Poland, adding to the 8,500 already on standby for possible deployment in Europe. It has also sent a new shipment of arms to Ukraine. Ukrainian Defence Minister Alexei Reznikov announced on his Twitter account that the 130-tonne delivery included grenades, Javelin anti-tank missiles and ammunition.
Other countries such as Norway, Spain, Latvia, Estonia, Israel, Japan, South Korea and the UK have followed in the footsteps of the US and have asked their citizens to leave Ukraine immediately. Some have also begun evacuating some of their diplomats.
According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, the Russian diplomatic delegation in Ukraine continues to perform its basic functions. However, the Russian news agency, RIA, has reported that some Russian diplomats have begun to leave the country.
Attempts to reach a political solution to the crisis persist despite the grave indications provided by the US reports. Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron are to speak by phone with Putin to discuss current developments. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the US side requested this conversation.
Putin and Biden spoke on the phone twice in December, although no agreement was reached. Previously, the two leaders met in Geneva in June last year.
Putin will speak with Biden on Saturday evening, while the conversation with Macron will take place around noon. This week, the French president visited Moscow and held talks with Putin for five hours. He then travelled to Kiev to meet with Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky.
Since Washington began warning of possible aggression against Ukraine late last year, Moscow has consistently denied such accusations. In multiple meetings and calls, Russian officials have reiterated that there are no plans for an invasion of Ukraine.
During the latest meeting between Russia and the West, epitomised by Russian and British defence ministers Sergey Shoigu and Ben Wallace, Shoigu reaffirmed this again. He also stressed that the rising tension in the region is not Moscow's fault. "For our part, we would also like to offer a contribution to reducing this tension and to stop filling Ukraine with weapons. It is coming from all sides, it is being done publicly, in a revealing way," Shoigu said.
Regarding the latest US claims of an "imminent invasion", the Russian foreign ministry said that "a coordinated media attack" against Moscow is underway. The Kremlin spokesman condemned the statements as "empty and unfounded".
Kiev calls for "calm" in the face of the latest developments. "At this moment, it is extremely important to remain calm, to consolidate outside the country, to avoid acts that destabilise the situation and sow panic," the Ukrainian foreign ministry said in a statement. According to local sources, the Ukrainian government has also deployed troops from the east to increase the capital's defence capacity.
However, Ukraine has also urged Russia to provide detailed explanations for its activities on the border by appealing to the Vienna Document on Risk Reduction. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba recalled that, according to this document, Moscow "must report on the exact areas of its military activity". "Russia has 48 hours to respond", he added.
Americas Coordinator: José Antonio Sierra
