US not to call Russia invasion of Ukraine 'imminent'
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The United States realizes that it had blundered its way into criticism from their Ukrainian ally Volodymyr Zelensky after the top WH spokeswoman said a Russian invasion was imminent.
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White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, United States
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki will no longer refer to an alleged Russian invasion of Ukraine as "imminent," insisting, however, that it could still happen any time, she, herself, said Wednesday.
Psaki's words came as an attempt to fix a problem she had caused in a briefing last week when said the invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops could be "imminent."
Her words put her and the Biden administration under fire from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who then said Kyiv wanted to avoid panic.
"We stopped using it because I think it sent a message that we weren't intending to send, which was that we knew President (Vladimir) Putin had made a decision," Psaki explained.
She also clarified that she usually referred to Putin as having put troops in a position where they could "invade at any time."
That remains "true," she said, adding that the Biden administration is not aware of Putin making a decision on Ukraine.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the Biden administration had been describing in "accurate terms" what they have been observing on the Ukrainian borders.
"The steps that we have been taking in response to that on a defensive and deterrent basis," Price added in a nod to the US supplying Kyiv with arms and strongarming Germany to back out from Nord Stream 2.
US troop deployment to Europe 'totally consistent' with what Biden told Putin
US President Joe Biden said his decision to deploy thousands of troops to Europe over the Ukraine crisis was "totally consistent with what he told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
The US Ministry of Defense has ordered thousands of additional troops to be on standby to deploy in Europe in light of soaring tensions over Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing US officials.
"As long as he’s acting aggressively, we are going to make sure we reassure our NATO allies in Eastern Europe that we’re there and Article 5 is a sacred obligation," Biden said.
NATO is accusing Russia of planning on invading Ukraine and amassing 100,000 troops along its borders, though both Kyiv and the Kremlin have denied these allegations.
