Biden cranks up volume on Ukraine with public pressure on Putin

While the U.S. and Western allies watch to see if Russia follows through on an announced troop draw down near Ukraine, U.S. President Joe Biden is sticking with a remarkably public and increasingly urgent campaign to stave off a possible Russian invasion.

While the U.S. and Western allies watch to see if Russia follows through on an announced troop draw down near Ukraine, U.S. President Joe Biden is sticking with a remarkably public and increasingly urgent campaign to stave off a possible Russian invasion.

After the U.S. concluded that President Vladimir Putin was seriously considering an invasion, the Biden administration began pressing allies to agree on a sanctions package, releasing classified information about Russian troop movements and sharing intelligence about a purported plan for false-flag operations that could create a pretext for war.

In recent days, the U.S. has also ordered its diplomats to leave Kyiv, pulled back military advisers working with Ukraine’s military and dispatched thousands of troops to bolster Poland and Romania. In calls with foreign leaders, Biden has laid out American concerns and warned that an invasion could occur in days. 

And on Tuesday afternoon, Biden said an invasion remains “distinctly possible” while warning that the U.S. had not yet verified the Kremlin’s claims that it was removing some troops from the border areas.

“We’ve been transparent with the American people -- and with the world -- about Russia’s plans and the seriousness of the situation, so that everyone can see for themselves what is happening,” Biden said in a statement from the White House.