Intelligence reports reveal that Russian President Vladimir Putin has already given his troops orders to proceed with an invasion into Ukraine. CBS News’ David Martin told Face The Nation host Margaret Brennan about these findings, saying “the intelligence says that Russian troops have actually received orders now–to go into eastern Ukraine.”
When it comes to the question of whether or not Russia has made up its mind on attacking Ukraine, General Martin says there’s no doubt. He went on to say that these plans are being made by both Russian troops and commanders on the ground who have been given orders ‘to proceed. General Michael Jeredich also revealed new information about how much closer we can expect them (the borders) nears during an interview this week with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer – he said: “The estimation from my perspective would be over time-lapse photography…we may see movement into those sectors.”
While top American officials warn of an imminent invasion, they are optimistic that there will be no threat to U.S troops in Ukraine due to Russia’s deadliness and commitment towards taking over the country with or without violence this time around- unlike previous instances where such efforts have failed before eventually leading up into World War III.
Are you absolutely confident in the intelligence you’re seeing now?’ Raddatz asked Austin. ‘We have high confidence in the things that we’re looking at,’ he responded.’Of course, in terms of being able to predict exactly what’s going to happen going forward, you never can,’ he said, adding that the Pentagon is ‘looking at every possibility.’
Austin said that it’s ‘highly likely’ if Russia invades Ukraine, there will be a swift movement for Moscow to try and take the capital city of Kyiv. ‘You could see a significant amount of combat power move very quickly to take Kyiv,’ he claimed.
NEWS: The U.S. has intelligence that Russian troops have received orders to proceed with an invasion of Ukraine. “The commanders on the ground are making specific plans for how they would maneuver in their sector of the battlefield,” CBS David Martin reports on @FacetheNation. pic.twitter.com/uKsfdWRQjV
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) February 20, 2022
When asked what the chances are that Vladimir Putin is bluffing, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNN’s State Of The Union: “I think while there’s always a chance.” ‘Everything we’re seeing suggests that this may not actually be an invasion,’ he continued. Blinken plans to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov this week in order to prevent war – provided Moscow hasn’t already started one by then.
‘It’s my responsibility to do everything I can to try diplomatically to prevent a war,’ Blinken told NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday.
Blinken is hopeful that there is still a diplomatic path forward, despite President Joe Biden’s administration insisting the window for diplomacy is ‘narrowing’. If the meeting with Lavrov happens, it means there isn’t war, but if the meeting is called off, it means war has begun, Blinken affirmed Sunday.
‘I reached out to Foreign Minister Lavrov some days ago, suggested we meet this coming week in Europe to see if we can pursue conversations that would allow us to prevent a war and address the security concerns that we all have, the United States, Europe, and Russia, in that conversation,’ Blinken detailed. ‘He came back and said, ‘Yeah, let’s meet.’ And we responded and said, ‘The meeting’s on provided you don’t invade Ukraine in the meantime.’
‘So right now, that meeting’s on?’ NBC host Chuck Todd asked. ‘Right now that meeting’s on,’ Blinken replied.
‘We believe President Putin has made the decision, but until the tanks are rolling, and the planes are in the air, we’re going to try everything we possibly can to get President Putin to reverse the decision we believe he’s made and to dissuade him,’ he said when asked about the decision for the U.S. to put off sanctions until the invasion. ‘As soon as you trigger the sanctions, any deterrent effect they may have is gone.’
The Defense Department has reaffirmed their stance on Russia, saying that if President Putin continues his aggressive actions against Ukraine they will be met with “heavy consequences.” The press secretary for the Pentagon John Kirby spoke out against those who think military intervention wouldn’t help resolve matters in Europe: “If you pull the trigger then it doesn’t exist anymore as a deterrent,” he said during an interview with Fox News Sunday. He further explained how severe these penalties would get – including economic retaliation like sanctions which have already been promised by US officials.
In an interview with ABC News, Blinken said the U.S will not be in a position to evacuate any Americans should Russia invade and warned remaining citizens about leaving as soon as possible because tensions are high between both countries.
WATCH: Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he plans to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov this week, provided a war hasn’t begun in Ukraine. #MTP #IfItsSunday@SecBlinken: “It’s my responsibility to do everything I can to try diplomatically to prevent a war.” pic.twitter.com/b3ufYQ2WeB
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) February 20, 2022
The U.S. has already started its deployment of 5,000 troops to Poland and Romania and there are 8,500 more still on heightened alert for potential deployment.
‘Do you think there is any risk to our troops?’ Raddatz asked the Pentagon chief in her pre-taped interview. ‘I think our troops will be fine,’ Austin insisted. ‘We will be very diligent in terms of thinking through the range of possibilities.’
Biden approved the deployment earlier this year of troops from both 82nd and 18th Airborne Corps out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Vice President Harris told reporters Sunday that America may face ‘some costs’ associated with their involvement in Europe should Russia invade Ukraine which she also claims is all but certain.” When asked before departing Germany for the US if Americans should be braced themselves economically because there’s been an increased risk since 2008 due primarily thanks to Russian actions around Crimea; Velnch VP said “sure”.
‘When America stands for principles, and all of the things that we hold dear, it requires sometimes for us to put ourselves out there in a way that maybe we will incur some cost,’ Harris told a group of seven reporters in Munich on Sunday. ‘And in this situation, that may relate to energy costs, for example.’
‘But we are taking very specific and appropriate, I believe, steps to mitigate what that cost might be if it happens,’ she added. Harris repeated President Biden’s claim that Putin has already made up his mind that he will invade Ukraine and admitted the path for diplomacy is ‘narrowing’.
‘We believe he has made his decision; period.’ said Ms. Harris when asked about any evidence leading towards an impending military campaign in Kiev or Moscow – despite continuing discussion between Washington DC representatives over how best to proceed with negotiations ahead of next week’s conference on peace talks.
Vice President Biden delivered his verdict at the end of an intense week-long diplomacy session and amid reports, explosions occurred in territory held by pro-Russian separatists. He also said that these may be false flag attacks or precursor to an invasion by Russia, though there’s no evidence yet for either claim.” The goal of these unprecedented sanctions is to show Russia that its actions in Ukraine will have a cost. The Russian economy has already taken quite the hit from other countries’ measures, but now it’s time for them to feel some pain as well.
‘The Allied relationship is such that we have agreed that the deterrence effect of these sanctions is still a meaningful one,’ she continued. ‘Especially because remember also, we still sincerely hope that there is a diplomatic path out of this moment. And within the context, then, of the fact that that window is still opening, although I open although it is absolutely narrowing, within the context of a diplomatic path still being open. The deterrence effect we believe has merit.’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for sanctions to be imposed immediately, claiming it was no good to him if they were enacted after Putin attacked. ‘What are you waiting for?’ he said Saturday. ‘We don’t need your sanctions after the bombardment will happen.’ ‘Why would we need those sanctions then?’ he lamented.
Sunday, Ukrainian politician Andriy Zelensky called for an immediate ceasefire in the eastern part of Ukraine where clashes between pro-Russian separatists and forces from Kyiv intensified over recent days. He said he supports peace talks within the Trilateral Contact Group – which includes Russia as well as representatives from OSCE monitor organization–to facilitate sustainable resolution warring parties being fought since 2014 currently happening near Donbass region.
‘We stand for intensifying the peace process. We support the immediate convening of the TCG and the immediate introduction of a regime of silence,’ Zelensky tweeted.