The United States said Sunday it was not sending troops to start a war with Russia after deploying 3,000 additional soldiers to Germany and Eastern Europe over the Ukraine standoff with Moscow.
“The president has been clear for months now that the United States is not sending forces to start a war or fight a war with Russia in Ukraine,” National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told Fox News Sunday.
“We have sent forces to Europe to defend NATO territory.”
Tensions between Russia and the West have been at their highest in past few months due to Russia’s massing of troops along Russia-Ukraine border. Russia has massed more than 100,000 troops at the border. Russia has sent troops to Belarus as well.
Sullivan was speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press when he said that “a military escalation and invasion of Ukraine could happen at any time.
“We believe that the Russians have put in place the capabilities to mount a significant military operation into Ukraine, and we have been working hard to prepare a response,” he said.
“President Biden has rallied our allies. He’s reinforced and reassured our partners on the eastern flank, he’s provided material support to the Ukrainians, and he’s offered the Russians a diplomatic path.”
Ukraine on Sunday insisted the chance of resolving the soaring tensions with Russia through diplomacy remained greater than that of an attack.
Officials briefed Congress and European allies in recent days that the Russian force amassed on the frontier is growing at a rate that would give Putin the firepower he needs for a full-scale invasion — some 150,000 soldiers — within a few weeks.
They said Putin wants options at his disposal, ranging from a limited campaign in the pro-Russian Donbas region of Ukraine to a full-scale invasion.
Russia denies that it is planning an incursion into Ukraine.
(With inputs from agencies)
