Russia is reportedly bringing “blood supplies,” along with other medical tools, to their border with Ukraine as part of their “military buildup,” U.S. officials told Reuters in an exclusive report.
This is a major indicator that the country would be prepared for a possible violent invasion, as the report added that there are roughly 10,000 Russian troops at their borders.
The U.S. is trying to navigate different ways to deter a possible regional conflict but has made a point to use American resources to assist NATO allies if necessary. There are currently 8,500 American troops on alert for possible deployment to Eastern Europe, although the Defense Department has said they would not be sent directly to Ukraine.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff held a news conference at the Pentagon Friday afternoon in an attempt to clarify details about a potential invasion.
“First, conflict is not inevitable. There is still time and space for diplomacy,” Austin said, according to CBS News.
“The United States, in lockstep with our allies and partners, has offered Russia a path away from crisis and toward greater security. And the Department of Defense will continue to support those diplomatic efforts.”
Related: Is Biden Inviting the Very War in Ukraine We Don’t Want to Fight?
President Joe Biden’s phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is raising concerns about the entire situation, as Biden insisted that an invasion is imminent, whereas the Ukrainian leader reportedly disagrees and believes the threat is less severe.
Zelensky is concerned that the U.S. is only adding fuel to the fire by publicly expressing their concerns about an invasion, he explained at a news conference Friday in Kyiv.
“There are no tanks in the streets. But media give the impression, if one is not here, that we have a war, that we have [an] army in the streets… That’s not the case. We don’t need this panic,” he said, Reuters reported.
Republicans are now calling for the White House to release the transcript of the phone call, PJ Media’s Stephen Green noted.
Now it’s your turn @JoeBiden. #ReleaseTheTranscript https://t.co/rH3PDsitOX
— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) January 28, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin is probably laughing at the entire debacle, as the reports now make Ukraine come across as complacent and the U.S. as confused and overdramatic.
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