US White House convenes NSC... "Russia can invade Ukraine at any time"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] The White House announced on the 19th (local time) that President Joe Biden has received reports that Russia could attack Ukraine at any time, and that a National Security Council (NSC) meeting will be convened on the 20th to discuss the issue.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during a briefing on the Ukraine situation that "President Biden is continuously monitoring the situation in Ukraine and is regularly receiving updates from the national security team."

She also added that President Biden was briefed on his talks earlier that day with Vice President Kamala Harris, who is attending the Munich Security Conference, as well as leaders from the European Union (EU), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Ukraine, and the Baltic states.

Earlier on the 18th, President Biden expressed concerns about the possibility of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, stating that he has evidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to invade.

He cited the United States' intelligence capabilities as the basis for his assessment, saying, "We have sufficient reason to believe that Russia will attack Ukraine within days," and identified Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, as Russia's target.

He continued, "If Russia carries out this plan, it will be a catastrophic choice, and the United States and its allies are prepared to defend every inch of NATO territory."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.