US says Putin will be making a ‘serious mistake’ if he invades Ukraine: Blinken is ‘looking at ways’ of dealing with the Belarus standoff and Kamala says the ‘eyes of the world’ are on the border after Putin deployed troops and sent in bombers
- VP Harris spoke about the situation during a Paris press conference
- She said the U.S. was ‘very concerned’ and the ‘eyes of the world’ were watching Russia and Belarus are carrying out surprise joint paratrooper drills just 20 miles from Polish border today
- Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that ‘we are looking at various tools that we have,’ after on Wednesday warning Moscow against making another ‘serious mistake’ in Ukraine
- Belarus said troops will practice capturing bridges and destroying enemy patrols to test ‘combat readiness’
- The White House warned that Putin appears to be preparing for an invasion of eastern Ukraine after it massed troops on the border
- Meanwhile Polish defense minister said British military engineers have arrived at the border to strengthen the defenses.
- The UK currently has 150 troops deployed in Poland as part of NATO missions there
- ‘Russia doesn’t threaten anyone,’ said Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov
The situation escalated on Friday with developments including:
- The EU said it is alarmed by Russian military activities close to Ukraine, is watching the situation closely and ‘looking at further steps’ along with the United States and Britain
- Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia is waging ‘hybrid warfare’ on Europe using migrants
- US and European delegations accused Minsk of endangering lives for political ends at UN Security Council
- Former UK defense minister Tobias Ellwood called Russia’s moves ‘deeply concerning’ and a ‘test of resolve’
- Turkey barred citizens from Iraq, Syrian and Yemen from flying to Belarus amid fears they will head to border