Harris Says U.S. Convinced Putin Has Mind Made Up on Ukraine
Intelligence on Russia’s intentions toward Ukraine and a potential invasion within days is solid: Vice President Kamala Harris.
(Bloomberg) -- U.S. intelligence on Russia’s intentions toward Ukraine and a potential invasion within days is solid, Vice President Kamala Harris told reporters on Sunday.
“Putin has made his decision. Period,” Harris said as she prepared to return to the U.S. from two days of high-level meetings at the Munich Security Conference. Russia has said repeatedly it has no plans to attack Ukraine.
Allies are now left to wrestle with how to respond to a potential Russian invasion that President Joe Biden warned on Friday could happen within days.
Biden briefed allies, including the U.K., on Friday with details on Russia’s potential invasion plan, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the BBC.
“You’re looking at not just an invasion through the east, through the Donbas, but according to the intelligence that we’re seeing, coming down from the north, down from Belarus, and actually encircling Kyiv itself, as Joe Biden explained to a lot of us,” Johnson said.
As Harris spoke, Belarus announced that it would continue massive military drills with Russia near the borders of Ukraine and of NATO members Poland and Lithuania. The exercises had been planned to end Sunday.
Biden intends to huddle Sunday with his National Security Council. Such meetings can help a president make a decision in advance of significant operations. Harris told reporters she would participate in the talks.
©2022 Bloomberg L.P.