Biden considers Ukraine options as Pentagon puts US troops on ‘heightened’ alert – live

Greetings from Washington, live blog readers.

Joe Biden is preparing for potential conflict in Ukraine as Russian President Vladimir Putin considers an invasion and builds up his troop presence along the border.

The department of defense spokesperson, John Kirby, said yesterday that the US has placed 8,500 troops on heightened alert to deploy if necessary. The White House is also urging Americans in Ukraine to consider leaving the country.

Meanwhile, Biden held a virtual meeting with some of his European counterparts yesterday to discuss “their continued concern about the Russian military build-up on Ukraine’s borders”.

“The leaders underscored their shared desire for a diplomatic resolution to the current tensions and reviewed recent engagements with Russia in multiple formats,” the White House said in its readout of the meeting.

“The leaders also discussed their joint efforts to deter further Russian aggression against Ukraine, including preparations to impose massive consequences and severe economic costs on Russia for such actions as well as to reinforce security on NATO’s eastern flank.”

So all eyes are on the Ukrainian border as Putin considers whether to move forward. The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned.

During the White House briefing yesterday, a reporter asked press secretary Jen Psaki whether Joe Biden believes a Russian invasion of Ukraine is imminent.

The reporter pointed to the Pentagon’s announcement that 8,500 US troops would be put on heightened alert to deploy if necessary as potential evidence of an escalating threat.

“While we can’t get into the mind of President Putin, we are seeing the preparations that they’re making at the border,” Psaki replied. “We have been very clear and the president has been direct that military action by Russia could come at any time. He said that last week as well.”

Another reporter tried to get a more concrete answer from Psaki, asking whether Biden is more or less concerned about an invasion of Ukraine after the events of this weekend.

“He said last week that military action by Russia could come at any time. That remains his point of view,” Psaki replied.

In case you missed it yesterday: Joe Biden got frustrated with a Fox News reporter who pressed him on how inflation may negatively impact Democrats’ midterm prospects.

The president was hosting a meeting with his White House Competition Council to discuss his administration’s efforts to lower prices as US inflation increases at the highest rate seen in decades.

Reporters were present for the start of the event, and as they were escorted out, a few of them shouted questions at Biden about Ukraine, which the president mostly ignored.

One reporter, Peter Doocy of Fox News, said, “Will you take questions on inflation then? Do you think inflation is a political liability ahead of the midterms?”

Biden, seemingly unaware that he could still be heard, then said to his advisers, “No, it’s a great asset. More inflation. What a stupid son of a bitch.”

The remark certainly attracted some attention on social media, and Biden later called Doocy to apologize, per CNN:

Shortly after his virtual meeting with European leaders, Joe Biden told reporters that the US and its allies are on the same page when it comes to Ukraine.

“I had a very, very, very good meeting – total unanimity with all the European leaders,” Biden said after the meeting, which lasted about an hour and 20 minutes.

In London, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson‘s officeechoed that sentiment, saying “the leaders agreed on the importance of international unity in the face of growing Russian hostility.”

“The leaders agreed that, should a further Russian incursion into Ukraine happen, allies must enact swift retributive responses including an unprecedented package of sanctions,” Downing Street said.

Read the Guardian’s full report:

Greetings from Washington, live blog readers.

Joe Biden is preparing for potential conflict in Ukraine as Russian President Vladimir Putin considers an invasion and builds up his troop presence along the border.

The department of defense spokesperson, John Kirby, said yesterday that the US has placed 8,500 troops on heightened alert to deploy if necessary. The White House is also urging Americans in Ukraine to consider leaving the country.

Meanwhile, Biden held a virtual meeting with some of his European counterparts yesterday to discuss “their continued concern about the Russian military build-up on Ukraine’s borders”.

“The leaders underscored their shared desire for a diplomatic resolution to the current tensions and reviewed recent engagements with Russia in multiple formats,” the White House said in its readout of the meeting.

“The leaders also discussed their joint efforts to deter further Russian aggression against Ukraine, including preparations to impose massive consequences and severe economic costs on Russia for such actions as well as to reinforce security on NATO’s eastern flank.”

So all eyes are on the Ukrainian border as Putin considers whether to move forward. The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned.