President Biden said that the U.S. doesn’t plan a military operation to assist its citizens leaving Ukraine. They should leave on their own. Biden stated that Americans should evacuate now as Russia builds a military presence around its neighbor.
Biden made these remarks during an interview with Lester Holt of NBC News. Holt asked Biden what scenarios would trigger a U.S. mission to rescue Russia if they invaded.
Biden stated, “There is not [one]”. “That’s the world war — when Americans or Russians start shooting at each other, it’s very different than any world we’ve ever lived in.”
Biden stated that a military-run evacuation would prove extremely difficult, and that it would also be challenging to locate U.S. citizens in Ukraine. He added that, “I hope that if he is foolish enough to go in,” he will be smart enough to not do anything that would adversely impact American citizens.
Biden later added, “He knows that.” “I’ve asked, American citizens should leave — should they leave now? This situation was contrasted with the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan which saw the U.S. make a long-term effort to fly some Afghans and U.S. citizens out of the country.
Biden stated, “We’re dealing avec one of the biggest armies in the globe.” This is a very different situation and things could get crazy fast. The U.S. State Department issued Thursday’s “Level 4: No Travel” advisory to Ukraine, advising that U.S. citizens living in Ukraine should “leave now by commercial or private means” due to the high risk of Russian military action. (The advisory also mentioned Ukraine’s “very high” level of COVID-19 cases).
The State Department advises that if you remain in Ukraine, you should exercise greater caution due to the possibility of crime, civil unrest and combat operations should Russia take military actions.
All non-essential staff at the European Union’s diplomatic office in Ukraine are being asked to leave by the European Union. The U.K., Israel, and the Netherlands are asking citizens to leave Ukraine as soon as possible. They also ask those who plan to travel to Ukraine to abstain from doing so.
According to Russian media, Russia has placed around 140,000 troops close to its border with Ukraine. Putin’s military is currently engaged in what’s being described as its largest exercise since Cold War. It’s participating in joint maneuvers and exercises with Belarus. Russia also sent warships to the Black Sea for naval exercises. This raises fears about a possible blockade or invasion.
Biden deployed 2000 U.S. troops last week to Europe to support its NATO allies because of tensions. Biden also directed another 1,000 troops based in Germany, to be moved to Romania.
Belarus could be considered a part of Russia’s invasion plan if it resists international pressure. The Center for Strategic and International Studies recently found that Russia’s military could try to “outflank Ukrainian defenses around Kiev” by approaching Belarus.
