Emmanuel Macron called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to make a decision on meeting US counterpart Joe Biden in a summit proposed by France to ease soaring tensions over Ukraine.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Macron proposes Biden-Putin summit to help defuse tensions

Amid rising Russia and Ukraine tensions, a&nbsp;blast was heard early on Monday in the centre of the city of&nbsp;Donetsk, which is held by Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, Reuters reported citing a witness.&nbsp;

So far, the origin of the blast was unclear.

As per reports, people evacuated from the Moscow-backed breakaway region of Donetsk wait for trains in the southwestern Russian town of Taganrog, to move deeper into the country.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/did-russia-give-orders-to-attack-ukraine-us-media-cites-intel-inputs-that-were-apparently-known-to-biden-454927">Did Russia give orders to 'attack' Ukraine? US media cites intel inputs that were apparently known to Biden</a>

It is important to note that the Moscow-backed separatists have accused Ukraine of planning an offensive into their enclave, and ordered a general mobilisation.&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed in principle to a summit over Ukraine. The news about the crucial summit was revealed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who held a telephonic conversation with the Russian leader on Sunday (February 20).&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Kremlin on Monday (February 21) said that it is "premature" to organise the Biden-Putin summit over Ukraine.

"It's premature to talk about any specific plans for organising any kind of summits," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that no "concrete plans" had been put in place for a meeting.&nbsp;

Russia has placed more than 150,000 troops near Ukraine's borders in recent weeks, the United States and Western allies have estimated.&nbsp;

US official told reporters Friday, insisting on anonymity that "forty to fifty per cent (of those troops) are in an attack position. They have uncoiled in tactical assembly in the last 48 hours".&nbsp;

Reports have also quoted a US official, who on Sunday said that Biden's assertion that Putin has made the decision to roll Russian forces into Ukraine was based on intelligence that Russian front-line commanders have been given orders to begin final preparations for an attack.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Explosions heard in Ukraine's Donetsk, OSCE calls for security meet to discuss de-escalation

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Amid rising Russia and Ukraine tensions, a blast was heard early on Monday in the centre of the city of Donetsk, which is held by Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, Reuters reported citing a witness.

Amid rising Russia and Ukraine tensions, a blast was heard early on Monday in the centre of the city of Donetsk, which is held by Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, Reuters reported citing a witness. So far, the origin of the blast was unclear. As per reports, people evacuated from the Moscow-backed breakaway region of Donetsk wait for trains in the southwestern Russian town of Taganrog, to move deeper into the country. ALSO READ | Did Russia give orders to 'attack' Ukraine? US media cites intel inputs that were apparently known to Biden It is important to note that the Moscow-backed separatists have accused Ukraine of planning an offensive into their enclave, and ordered a general mobilisation. US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed in principle to a summit over Ukraine. The news about the crucial summit was revealed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who held a telephonic conversation with the Russian leader on Sunday (February 20). Meanwhile, Kremlin on Monday (February 21) said that it is "premature" to organise the Biden-Putin summit over Ukraine. "It's premature to talk about any specific plans for organising any kind of summits," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that no "concrete plans" had been put in place for a meeting. Russia has placed more than 150,000 troops near Ukraine's borders in recent weeks, the United States and Western allies have estimated. US official told reporters Friday, insisting on anonymity that "forty to fifty per cent (of those troops) are in an attack position. They have uncoiled in tactical assembly in the last 48 hours". Reports have also quoted a US official, who on Sunday said that Biden's assertion that Putin has made the decision to roll Russian forces into Ukraine was based on intelligence that Russian front-line commanders have been given orders to begin final preparations for an attack. WATCH | Explosions heard in Ukraine's Donetsk, OSCE calls for security meet to discuss de-escalation ×

Ukraine crisis: Explosion reportedly hits Donetsk airport area; Kremlin says Biden-Putin summit 'premature'

President Joe Biden's administration has prepared an initial package of sanctions against Russia that includes barring&nbsp;U.S. financial institutions from processing transactions for major Russian&nbsp;banks, three people familiar with the matter said.

The measures, which would only be implemented if Russia invades&nbsp;Ukraine, aim to hurt the Russian economy by&nbsp;cutting the "correspondent" banking relationships between targeted Russian banks and US banks that enable international payments.

While&nbsp;US&nbsp;authorities&nbsp;have said banking restrictions would be part of a package of possible sanctions, the administration's plan to&nbsp;cut&nbsp;correspondent banking&nbsp;ties&nbsp;- which underpin global money flows - has not previously been reported.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-ready-to-meet-putin-until-the-moment-ukraine-invasion-begins-454912">Biden ready to meet Putin 'until the moment' Ukraine invasion begins</a>

The United States will also wield its most powerful sanctioning tool against certain Russian individuals and companies by placing them on the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, effectively kicking them out of the&nbsp;U.S. banking system, banning their trade with Americans and freezing their&nbsp;U.S. assets, the same&nbsp;sources&nbsp;said.

The White House and Treasury Department declined to comment.

The&nbsp;sources&nbsp;said the package could change up to the last minute and it was unclear who the targets would be. However, they believe top Russian financial institutions including VTB Bank, Sberbank, VEB, and Gazprombank are possible targets.

Experts consulted by Reuters said that while the correspondent banking tool lacks the punch of an SDN designation, which freezes a bank's assets, they could still deal a meaningful blow to the target&nbsp;banks&nbsp;by making it difficult to transact in&nbsp;US&nbsp;dollars, the global reserve currency.

Much of global trade is transacted in dollars.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-us-secretary-of-state-mike-pompeo-to-visit-taiwan-next-week-454945">Former US&nbsp;Secretary of State&nbsp;Mike&nbsp;Pompeo to visit Taiwan next week</a>

It is unclear whether Russian&nbsp;banks&nbsp;would be added to the SDN list, but both types of sanctions could hit Russia hard.

"Since a significant number of global trade transactions are in&nbsp;U.S. dollars this is a sanction with bite, but without the more complicated and deadly sanction of being placed on the SDN list and having all assets in the&nbsp;U.S. or in the hands of&nbsp;U.S. persons frozen," said Washington lawyer Kay Georgi, who specializes in international trade.

Sources&nbsp;noted that the administration could exempt certain transactions from the restrictions if deemed necessary.

'UPFRONT COSTS'

The Biden administration has been threatening tough banking sanctions against Russia for weeks in a bid to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from invading&nbsp;Ukraine. Moscow has amassed upwards of 150,000 troops on&nbsp;Ukraine's borders, but Putin has denied&nbsp;plans&nbsp;to launch an attack.

Peter Harrell, who sits on the National Security Council, said last month that "heavy hitting financial sanctions" were part of a strategy to hurt Russia's economy but spare its citizens.

"The goal of the financial sanctions is really to have short term upfront costs on Russia, to trigger capital flight, to trigger inflation, to make the Russian central bank provide bailouts&nbsp;to its&nbsp;banks," he said in a speech late last month.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/did-russia-give-orders-to-attack-ukraine-us-media-cites-intel-inputs-that-were-apparently-known-to-biden-454927">Did Russia give orders to 'attack' Ukraine? US media cites intel inputs that were apparently known to Biden</a>

The tough warnings have put some&nbsp;U.S. financial firms on edge. Members of the financial services and payment industries have been in touch in recent days with the&nbsp;U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, which administers sanctions,&nbsp;sources&nbsp;said.

Tensions grew over the weekend as Russia extended military drills in Belarus, heightening fears among Western powers of an imminent Russian invasion of&nbsp;Ukraine.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas Plus | Explained: The Russia-Ukraine crisis

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Biden and Putin on Sunday agreed in principle to a summit, France said, offering hope conflict could be avoided.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the United States and Britain would&nbsp;cut&nbsp;off Russian companies' access to&nbsp;U.S. dollars and British pounds if the Kremlin orders an invasion.

The Biden administration has been similarly aggressive in its rhetoric. In a briefing on Friday, Deputy National Security advisor Daleep Singh told reporters that the cost to Russia of an invasion would be "immense, both to its economy and its strategic position in the world."

President Joe Biden's administration has prepared an initial package of sanctions against Russia that includes barring U.S. financial institutions from processing transactions for major Russian banks, three people familiar with the matter said.

President Joe Biden's administration has prepared an initial package of sanctions against Russia that includes barring U.S. financial institutions from processing transactions for major Russian banks, three people familiar with the matter said. The measures, which would only be implemented if Russia invades Ukraine, aim to hurt the Russian economy by cutting the "correspondent" banking relationships between targeted Russian banks and US banks that enable international payments. While US authorities have said banking restrictions would be part of a package of possible sanctions, the administration's plan to cut correspondent banking ties - which underpin global money flows - has not previously been reported. Also read | Biden ready to meet Putin 'until the moment' Ukraine invasion begins The United States will also wield its most powerful sanctioning tool against certain Russian individuals and companies by placing them on the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, effectively kicking them out of the U.S. banking system, banning their trade with Americans and freezing their U.S. assets, the same sources said. The White House and Treasury Department declined to comment. The sources said the package could change up to the last minute and it was unclear who the targets would be. However, they believe top Russian financial institutions including VTB Bank, Sberbank, VEB, and Gazprombank are possible targets. Experts consulted by Reuters said that while the correspondent banking tool lacks the punch of an SDN designation, which freezes a bank's assets, they could still deal a meaningful blow to the target banks by making it difficult to transact in US dollars, the global reserve currency. Much of global trade is transacted in dollars. Also read | Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to visit Taiwan next week It is unclear whether Russian banks would be added to the SDN list, but both types of sanctions could hit Russia hard. "Since a significant number of global trade transactions are in U.S. dollars this is a sanction with bite, but without the more complicated and deadly sanction of being placed on the SDN list and having all assets in the U.S. or in the hands of U.S. persons frozen," said Washington lawyer Kay Georgi, who specializes in international trade. Sources noted that the administration could exempt certain transactions from the restrictions if deemed necessary. 'UPFRONT COSTS' The Biden administration has been threatening tough banking sanctions against Russia for weeks in a bid to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from invading Ukraine. Moscow has amassed upwards of 150,000 troops on Ukraine's borders, but Putin has denied plans to launch an attack. Peter Harrell, who sits on the National Security Council, said last month that "heavy hitting financial sanctions" were part of a strategy to hurt Russia's economy but spare its citizens. "The goal of the financial sanctions is really to have short term upfront costs on Russia, to trigger capital flight, to trigger inflation, to make the Russian central bank provide bailouts to its banks," he said in a speech late last month. Also read | Did Russia give orders to 'attack' Ukraine? US media cites intel inputs that were apparently known to Biden The tough warnings have put some U.S. financial firms on edge. Members of the financial services and payment industries have been in touch in recent days with the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, which administers sanctions, sources said. Tensions grew over the weekend as Russia extended military drills in Belarus, heightening fears among Western powers of an imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine. Watch | Gravitas Plus | Explained: The Russia-Ukraine crisis Biden and Putin on Sunday agreed in principle to a summit, France said, offering hope conflict could be avoided. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the United States and Britain would cut off Russian companies' access to U.S. dollars and British pounds if the Kremlin orders an invasion. The Biden administration has been similarly aggressive in its rhetoric. In a briefing on Friday, Deputy National Security advisor Daleep Singh told reporters that the cost to Russia of an invasion would be "immense, both to its economy and its strategic position in the world."

US plans to cut ties with targeted Russian banks if Ukraine is invaded: Sources

In a phone conversation on Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the need to speed up the search for diplomatic solutions to the worsening crisis in eastern Ukraine, according to the Kremlin.&nbsp;

"In view of the urgency of the situation, the Presidents acknowledged the need to intensify the search for solutions through diplomatic means via the foreign ministries and political advisers to the leaders of the Normandy format," the Kremlin said in a statement.

"These contacts should facilitate the restoration of the ceasefire regime and ensure progress in the settlement of the conflict in Donbass," the Kremlin added.

US President Joe Biden is also willing to meet Russia's Vladimir Putin "at any time" to defuse tensions in the Ukraine war, his top diplomat said Sunday, warning Russia appeared on the verge of invading its neighbor. 
 
Watch | Gravitas Plus | Explained: The Russia-Ukraine crisis

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In a rapid-fire round of US talk shows, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNN that "everything we're seeing suggests that this is dead serious, that we are on the brink of an invasion." 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-planning-biggest-war-since-1945-says-boris-johnson-454778">Also read | Russia planning biggest war since 1945, says Boris Johnson</a>

"But until the tanks are actually rolling and the planes are flying, we will use every opportunity and every minute we have to see if diplomacy can still dissuade President Putin from carrying this forward."

Blinken told CBS's "Face the Nation" that Biden has made "very clear that he's prepared to meet President Putin at any time, in any format, if that can help prevent a war." 
 
Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/satellite-pictures-show-russian-helicopters-still-parked-in-crimea-454505">Satellite pictures show Russian helicopters still parked in Crimea</a>

In a phone conversation on Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the need to speed up the search for diplomatic solutions to the worsening crisis in eastern Ukraine, according to the Kremlin.

In a phone conversation on Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the need to speed up the search for diplomatic solutions to the worsening crisis in eastern Ukraine, according to the Kremlin. "In view of the urgency of the situation, the Presidents acknowledged the need to intensify the search for solutions through diplomatic means via the foreign ministries and political advisers to the leaders of the Normandy format," the Kremlin said in a statement. "These contacts should facilitate the restoration of the ceasefire regime and ensure progress in the settlement of the conflict in Donbass," the Kremlin added. US President Joe Biden is also willing to meet Russia's Vladimir Putin "at any time" to defuse tensions in the Ukraine war, his top diplomat said Sunday, warning Russia appeared on the verge of invading its neighbor. Watch | Gravitas Plus | Explained: The Russia-Ukraine crisis In a rapid-fire round of US talk shows, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNN that "everything we're seeing suggests that this is dead serious, that we are on the brink of an invasion." Also read | Russia planning biggest war since 1945, says Boris Johnson "But until the tanks are actually rolling and the planes are flying, we will use every opportunity and every minute we have to see if diplomacy can still dissuade President Putin from carrying this forward." Blinken told CBS's "Face the Nation" that Biden has made "very clear that he's prepared to meet President Putin at any time, in any format, if that can help prevent a war." Also see | Satellite pictures show Russian helicopters still parked in Crimea

Russia, France agree to work for an east Ukraine ceasefire; Joe Biden willing to meet Vladimir Putin

On the edge of Europe and thousands of miles from the United States, the relevance of Ukraine extends far beyond its borders.

First and foremost, a Russian invasion would upend the lives of 44 million Ukrainians. But its fate has huge implications for the rest of Europe, the health of the global economy and America’s place in the world.

It would increase fears over the security of other former Soviet countries in Eastern Europe. It would heighten fears over the strength of the post-1989 international order and America’s ability to influence it. And it would risk raising fuel prices across the world.

Here’s how Ukraine ended up at the centre of a global crisis.

Why do Russia, the U.S. and Europe care so much about Ukraine?

Both Russia and the West see Ukraine as a potential buffer against each other.

Russia considers Ukraine within its natural sphere of influence. Most of it was for centuries part of the Russian Empire, many Ukrainians are native Russian speakers and the country was part of the Soviet Union until winning independence in 1991.

Russia was unnerved when an uprising in 2014 replaced Ukraine’s Russia-friendly president with an unequivocally Western-facing government.

Most former Soviet republics and allies in Europe had already joined the European Union or NATO. Ukraine’s lurch away from Russian influence felt like the final death knell for Russian power in Eastern Europe.

To Europe and the United States, Ukraine matters in part because they see it as a bellwether for their own influence, and for Russian intentions in the rest of Europe. Ukraine is not part of the European Union or NATO. But it receives considerable financial and military support from Europe and the United States. If Russia invades, it suggests that Moscow might feel empowered to raise tensions with other former Soviet republics that are now members of the Western alliance, like Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Any Russian incursion would also further threaten U.S. dominance over world affairs. By winning the Cold War, the United States established great influence over the international order, but that influence has waned in the past decade, and a Russian invasion might accelerate that process. By reinvigorating NATO, the United States may hope to slow that process down, or even reverse it.

Ukraine was often in the news during the Trump administration. Why?

Ukraine was central to the impeachment of former President Donald Trump in 2020.

Several months before impeachment proceedings, Trump had blocked $391 million in military aid to Ukraine. Soon after, Trump asked the newly elected Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy,&nbsp;to investigate discredited corruption allegations involving Joe Biden, then the likeliest Democratic challenger to Trump.

As a result, Trump was accused of illegally asking a foreign entity — Ukraine — to intervene in the U.S. political system, and of changing state policy to help him personally. The impeachment vote narrowly failed.

Ukraine was also at the heart of a scandal involving Trump’s former campaign manager, Paul Manafort. In 2018, Manafort was jailed for concealing more than $30 million worth of consultancy fees he received from Ukrainian oligarchs and government officials to promote the political fortunes of Viktor Yanukovych, the pro-Russian Ukrainian president ousted in the 2014 uprising. Manafort advised Yanukovych between 2006 and 2014, before the latter fled to Russia, and before Manafort began working for Trump.

Didn’t Russia already invade parts of Ukraine?

Yes. After the uprising in 2014, Russian troops wearing unmarked uniforms invaded Crimea, a strategically important peninsula on the Black Sea. In a referendum condemned as illegal by most of the world, the region then voted by an overwhelming majority to join Russia.

Later in 2014, pro-Russian separatists backed by Russian troops and military hardware captured parts of eastern Ukraine, setting up two rebel republics — in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions — that remain unrecognized by any other state.

Fighting continues today between the Ukrainian state and the separatists. To many Ukrainians, the threat of a broader Russian intervention in Ukraine is therefore merely the latest episode of an unfinished eight-year war. And that war is likely to continue, whether Russia invades in the coming days or not.

What do Ukrainians want?

The threat of another Russian invasion has consolidated a growing sense of national pride and unity among Ukrainians, even among those who grew up speaking Russian.

As recently as 2001, opinion polls suggested that roughly half of Ukrainians supported the country’s departure from the Soviet Union. Today, more than 80% support Ukraine’s independence, and more than half back joining NATO.

Though anxiety courses through the country, life continues more or less as normal in most of it. Both civilians and government leaders say that they remain calm amid foreign reports of an imminent invasion, and some even say they doubt that Russia will actually invade. But at the same time, many civilians have increasingly joined volunteer defense units and signed up for first-aid courses.

How might Ukraine and its supporters stop another Russian invasion?

Ukraine could promise to abandon any effort to join NATO, or carry out a never-enforced pair of peace agreements signed in 2014 and 2015 that were considered favorable to Russia.

Under the agreements, known as the Minsk Accords, the two separatist territories would rejoin Ukraine — but only in a federal system that could give the territories a veto over Ukrainian foreign policy.

But the Ukrainian government’s hands are tied, at least in the short term. Abandoning NATO aspirations would contravene the Ukrainian Constitution. And a poll in December found that three-quarters of Ukrainians either entirely reject carrying out the Minsk Accords, or want them amended.

The United States and Europe have more cards up their sleeve. Washington could cut off Russia’s largest financial institutions from the global financial system, crippling the Russian economy. Germany could halt the implementation of Nord Stream 2, a major new pipeline transporting Russian gas to Europe. The United Kingdom may place restrictions on Russian oligarchs with property and assets in Britain.

And then there is the diplomatic path: The Kremlin insists this crisis is not just about Ukraine but also about the NATO military presence in Eastern Europe, which President Vladimir Putin of Russia describes as an existential threat to Russia’s security.

He wants NATO to pull back from the region and guarantee that neither Ukraine nor any other countries there will ever join the alliance. President Joe Biden insists that the United States is ready to keep talking, but that it will remain committed to the idea that every country should be free to choose its own alliances.

Why is Ukraine so vulnerable?

Though given money and arms by the West, Ukraine is not actually a NATO member and so cannot count on the direct U.S. military support and of U.S. allies. Its military, though the recipient of hundreds of millions of dollars in Western aid in recent years, is still no match for Russia’s.

It is also surrounded by Russian allies and proxies — and by Russia itself. Russian troops are massed not only along Ukraine’s eastern border with Russia but also along the Belarusian border, just over 50 miles north of Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. Russian troops are also stationed in Transnistria, a small and unrecognized breakaway region from Moldova, to Ukraine’s west. If Russian troops invaded from some or all of these locations, Ukraine’s army might be stretched too thin to mount an effective defense.

Would-be allies like Germany may also be wary of enacting economic measures to deter Russia. Europe is highly dependent on Russian fuel, and Russia is a major trading partner of Germany.

What are the possible economic effects of an invasion?

Some of the world’s main grain supplies are routed through the Black Sea, which borders both Russia and Ukraine, two major wheat producers. Military action could disrupt both grain production and distribution, raising food costs for consumers across the world.

Russia supplies about one-third of Europe’s gas, much of which is currently shipped through Ukraine. Any disruption at either end of that supply chain would force European countries to look elsewhere for fuel, most likely raising world oil prices.

Is an invasion certain?

Not necessarily.

The United States and other countries say an invasion is possible within days, and have evacuated staff from the Ukrainian capital in preparation. But Ukraine and the United States could still take measures to placate Russia. And Russia may still avoid an invasion.

The economic damage of Western sanctions, and the potential death toll of an extended war in Ukraine, might be too great a cost for Moscow to stomach.

On the edge of Europe and thousands of miles from the United States, the relevance of Ukraine extends far beyond its borders. First and foremost, a Russian invasion would upend the lives of 44 million Ukrainians.

On the edge of Europe and thousands of miles from the United States, the relevance of Ukraine extends far beyond its borders. First and foremost, a Russian invasion would upend the lives of 44 million Ukrainians. But its fate has huge implications for the rest of Europe, the health of the global economy and America’s place in the world. It would increase fears over the security of other former Soviet countries in Eastern Europe. It would heighten fears over the strength of the post-1989 international order and America’s ability to influence it. And it would risk raising fuel prices across the world. Here’s how Ukraine ended up at the centre of a global crisis. Why do Russia, the U.S. and Europe care so much about Ukraine? Both Russia and the West see Ukraine as a potential buffer against each other. Russia considers Ukraine within its natural sphere of influence. Most of it was for centuries part of the Russian Empire, many Ukrainians are native Russian speakers and the country was part of the Soviet Union until winning independence in 1991. Russia was unnerved when an uprising in 2014 replaced Ukraine’s Russia-friendly president with an unequivocally Western-facing government. Most former Soviet republics and allies in Europe had already joined the European Union or NATO. Ukraine’s lurch away from Russian influence felt like the final death knell for Russian power in Eastern Europe. To Europe and the United States, Ukraine matters in part because they see it as a bellwether for their own influence, and for Russian intentions in the rest of Europe. Ukraine is not part of the European Union or NATO. But it receives considerable financial and military support from Europe and the United States. If Russia invades, it suggests that Moscow might feel empowered to raise tensions with other former Soviet republics that are now members of the Western alliance, like Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Any Russian incursion would also further threaten U.S. dominance over world affairs. By winning the Cold War, the United States established great influence over the international order, but that influence has waned in the past decade, and a Russian invasion might accelerate that process. By reinvigorating NATO, the United States may hope to slow that process down, or even reverse it. Ukraine was often in the news during the Trump administration. Why? Ukraine was central to the impeachment of former President Donald Trump in 2020. Several months before impeachment proceedings, Trump had blocked $391 million in military aid to Ukraine. Soon after, Trump asked the newly elected Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to investigate discredited corruption allegations involving Joe Biden, then the likeliest Democratic challenger to Trump. As a result, Trump was accused of illegally asking a foreign entity — Ukraine — to intervene in the U.S. political system, and of changing state policy to help him personally. The impeachment vote narrowly failed. Ukraine was also at the heart of a scandal involving Trump’s former campaign manager, Paul Manafort. In 2018, Manafort was jailed for concealing more than $30 million worth of consultancy fees he received from Ukrainian oligarchs and government officials to promote the political fortunes of Viktor Yanukovych, the pro-Russian Ukrainian president ousted in the 2014 uprising. Manafort advised Yanukovych between 2006 and 2014, before the latter fled to Russia, and before Manafort began working for Trump. Didn’t Russia already invade parts of Ukraine? Yes. After the uprising in 2014, Russian troops wearing unmarked uniforms invaded Crimea, a strategically important peninsula on the Black Sea. In a referendum condemned as illegal by most of the world, the region then voted by an overwhelming majority to join Russia. Later in 2014, pro-Russian separatists backed by Russian troops and military hardware captured parts of eastern Ukraine, setting up two rebel republics — in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions — that remain unrecognized by any other state. Fighting continues today between the Ukrainian state and the separatists. To many Ukrainians, the threat of a broader Russian intervention in Ukraine is therefore merely the latest episode of an unfinished eight-year war. And that war is likely to continue, whether Russia invades in the coming days or not. What do Ukrainians want? The threat of another Russian invasion has consolidated a growing sense of national pride and unity among Ukrainians, even among those who grew up speaking Russian. As recently as 2001, opinion polls suggested that roughly half of Ukrainians supported the country’s departure from the Soviet Union. Today, more than 80% support Ukraine’s independence, and more than half back joining NATO. Though anxiety courses through the country, life continues more or less as normal in most of it. Both civilians and government leaders say that they remain calm amid foreign reports of an imminent invasion, and some even say they doubt that Russia will actually invade. But at the same time, many civilians have increasingly joined volunteer defense units and signed up for first-aid courses. How might Ukraine and its supporters stop another Russian invasion? Ukraine could promise to abandon any effort to join NATO, or carry out a never-enforced pair of peace agreements signed in 2014 and 2015 that were considered favorable to Russia. Under the agreements, known as the Minsk Accords, the two separatist territories would rejoin Ukraine — but only in a federal system that could give the territories a veto over Ukrainian foreign policy. But the Ukrainian government’s hands are tied, at least in the short term. Abandoning NATO aspirations would contravene the Ukrainian Constitution. And a poll in December found that three-quarters of Ukrainians either entirely reject carrying out the Minsk Accords, or want them amended. The United States and Europe have more cards up their sleeve. Washington could cut off Russia’s largest financial institutions from the global financial system, crippling the Russian economy. Germany could halt the implementation of Nord Stream 2, a major new pipeline transporting Russian gas to Europe. The United Kingdom may place restrictions on Russian oligarchs with property and assets in Britain. And then there is the diplomatic path: The Kremlin insists this crisis is not just about Ukraine but also about the NATO military presence in Eastern Europe, which President Vladimir Putin of Russia describes as an existential threat to Russia’s security. He wants NATO to pull back from the region and guarantee that neither Ukraine nor any other countries there will ever join the alliance. President Joe Biden insists that the United States is ready to keep talking, but that it will remain committed to the idea that every country should be free to choose its own alliances. Why is Ukraine so vulnerable? Though given money and arms by the West, Ukraine is not actually a NATO member and so cannot count on the direct U.S. military support and of U.S. allies. Its military, though the recipient of hundreds of millions of dollars in Western aid in recent years, is still no match for Russia’s. It is also surrounded by Russian allies and proxies — and by Russia itself. Russian troops are massed not only along Ukraine’s eastern border with Russia but also along the Belarusian border, just over 50 miles north of Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. Russian troops are also stationed in Transnistria, a small and unrecognized breakaway region from Moldova, to Ukraine’s west. If Russian troops invaded from some or all of these locations, Ukraine’s army might be stretched too thin to mount an effective defense. Would-be allies like Germany may also be wary of enacting economic measures to deter Russia. Europe is highly dependent on Russian fuel, and Russia is a major trading partner of Germany. What are the possible economic effects of an invasion? Some of the world’s main grain supplies are routed through the Black Sea, which borders both Russia and Ukraine, two major wheat producers. Military action could disrupt both grain production and distribution, raising food costs for consumers across the world. Russia supplies about one-third of Europe’s gas, much of which is currently shipped through Ukraine. Any disruption at either end of that supply chain would force European countries to look elsewhere for fuel, most likely raising world oil prices. Is an invasion certain? Not necessarily. The United States and other countries say an invasion is possible within days, and have evacuated staff from the Ukrainian capital in preparation. But Ukraine and the United States could still take measures to placate Russia. And Russia may still avoid an invasion. The economic damage of Western sanctions, and the potential death toll of an extended war in Ukraine, might be too great a cost for Moscow to stomach.

Why Ukraine matters: What to know about the crisis with Russia

Iran's top negotiator says that a nuclear deal is 'closer than ever'. But Tehran is holding out until the US Congress releases a political statement backing the agreement. Will Republicans sink Joe Biden's west Asian project? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Iran nuclear deal 'closer than ever'

US President said he is convinced that Russia will invade Ukraine in the coming two days, as per reports. The comments by US President came after he spoke to NATO allies.

Joe Biden convinced that Russia has decided to invade Ukraine

US President said the Russian attack on Ukraine is “imminent”. Meanwhile, The US and EU are preparing sanctions on Russia as tensions escalate over the Ukraine crisis.

The US, EU prepare sanctions on Russia as tensions escalate over the Ukraine crisis

Russia ordered the US deputy chief of mission to leave amid heightened tensions over Ukraine. Moscow justified the expulsion as a retaliatory move.

Russia expels the US Deputy Chief of Mission at US embassy in Moscow amid tensions over Ukraine

Is Russia conducting a proxy war in Ukraine? Tensions in eastern Ukraine have risen dramatically after Russia backed separatists engaged in multiple shelling incidents in Donbas.

Russia-Ukraine tensions simmer: US President Joe Biden warns 'Russian invasion imminent'

Despite Moscow's assertion that it is withdrawing soldiers from the border, US President Joe Biden stated that the possibility of a Russian invasion of Ukraine is "extremely high" and might occur in "next several days".

Russia could attack on Ukraine in 'next several days', says US President Joe Biden

As satellite images emerge showing fresh Russian deployments at several locations near Ukraine, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday warned that Russia could invade the eastern European country "any time" during the ongoing Beijing Winter Olympics.

“Simply put, we continue to see very troubling signs of Russian escalation, including new forces arriving at the Ukrainian border,” Blinken said in Canberra, Australia.

“We’re in a window when an invasion could begin at any time and, to be clear, that includes during the Olympics,” Blinken added.

The 2022 Winter Olympic Games are scheduled to end on February 20.

The comments from the top officer came a day after President Joe Biden asked the US citizens to leave Ukraine, saying that they shouldn’t expect American troops to evacuate if Russian invades Ukraine.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/things-could-go-crazy-ukraine-accuses-russia-of-hybrid-war-amid-naval-drill-452265">&nbsp;'Things could go crazy': Ukraine accuses Russia of 'hybrid war' amid naval drill</a>

He added that the action could trigger a “world war” and “things could go crazy quickly.”

There have been reports that Russia has amassed over 120,000 troops close to the Ukrainian border, triggering fears of escalation.

Watch |&nbsp;Russia, Ukraine hold simultaneous drills amid rising tensions

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-ukraine-hold-simultaneous-drills-amid-rising-tensions-452381/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

US-based Maxar Technologies, which has been tracking the Russian troops build-up for weeks, has claimed that Moscow has deployed additional forces in annexed Crimea, western Russia and Belarus—all bordering Ukraine.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ultimatums-threats-from-west-on-ukraine-wont-work-against-russia-says-foreign-minister-452104">Ultimatums, threats from West on Ukraine won’t work against Russia, says foreign minister</a>

Meanwhile, Russia has been holding drills in the Black Sea this month with six warships even as it conducts military drills north of Ukraine in Belarus.

Russia has not disclosed how many troops it has deployed and says it has the right to move forces around on its territory as it sees fit. It insists they pose no external threat, reports Reuters.

(With inputs from agencies)

As satellite images emerge showing fresh Russian deployments at several locations near Ukraine, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday warned that Russia could invade the eastern European country "any time" during the ongoing Beijing Winter Olympics.

As satellite images emerge showing fresh Russian deployments at several locations near Ukraine, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday warned that Russia could invade the eastern European country "any time" during the ongoing Beijing Winter Olympics. “Simply put, we continue to see very troubling signs of Russian escalation, including new forces arriving at the Ukrainian border,” Blinken said in Canberra, Australia. “We’re in a window when an invasion could begin at any time and, to be clear, that includes during the Olympics,” Blinken added. The 2022 Winter Olympic Games are scheduled to end on February 20. The comments from the top officer came a day after President Joe Biden asked the US citizens to leave Ukraine, saying that they shouldn’t expect American troops to evacuate if Russian invades Ukraine. Also read | 'Things could go crazy': Ukraine accuses Russia of 'hybrid war' amid naval drill He added that the action could trigger a “world war” and “things could go crazy quickly.” There have been reports that Russia has amassed over 120,000 troops close to the Ukrainian border, triggering fears of escalation. Watch | Russia, Ukraine hold simultaneous drills amid rising tensions US-based Maxar Technologies, which has been tracking the Russian troops build-up for weeks, has claimed that Moscow has deployed additional forces in annexed Crimea, western Russia and Belarus—all bordering Ukraine. Also read | Ultimatums, threats from West on Ukraine won’t work against Russia, says foreign minister Meanwhile, Russia has been holding drills in the Black Sea this month with six warships even as it conducts military drills north of Ukraine in Belarus. Russia has not disclosed how many troops it has deployed and says it has the right to move forces around on its territory as it sees fit. It insists they pose no external threat, reports Reuters. (With inputs from agencies)

Blinken says Russia could invade Ukraine during Winter Olympics as Biden speaks of ‘world war’

US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin talked over the phone for more than 1 hour on Saturday as tensions over the Ukraine crisis reach a boiling point.

According to White House officials, Biden, during the call, warned Putin that Ukraine attack will bring “swift and severe costs”.

Biden said that the United States "will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia” should it invade Ukraine.

According to a readout from the White House, Biden stressed that “while the United States remains prepared to engage in diplomacy, in full coordination with our Allies and partners, we are equally prepared for other scenarios.”

Putin, on the other hand, slammed the Western countries claim of an imminent Moscow invasion of Ukraine as a “provocation”.

A US official told AFP that&nbsp;more than one-hour call between Biden and Putin had “no fundamental change.”

“The call was professional and substantive and lasted a bit over an hour. There was no fundamental change in the dynamics unfolding now for several weeks," an unnamed US official said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-pulls-out-some-diplomatic-staff-from-ukraine-as-tensions-with-west-intensify-452664" hreflang="en">Russia pulls out some diplomatic staff from Ukraine as tensions intensify</a>

Meanwhile, Dutch flight carrier KLM has suspended flights to Ukraine until further notice.

The airline said it had cancelled its scheduled Saturday evening flight to Kyiv and suspended all other Ukraine flights “until further notice”, after it conducted a “comprehensive security analysis” as the Dutch government warned citizens against travel to the country.

Russia has massed well over 100,000 troops near the Ukraine border and has sent troops to exercises in neighbouring Belarus, but denies that it intends to launch an offensive against Ukraine.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-tells-allies-russia-may-attack-ukraine-on-february-16-reports-452685">Biden tells allies Russia may attack Ukraine on February 16: Reports</a>

The timing of any possible Russian military action is unclear.

But the US intelligence claims that Russia is looking at Wednesday as a target date, according to media reports.

The White House publicly underscored that the US does not know with certainty whether Putin is committed to invasion.

(With inputs from agencies)

US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin talked over the phone for more than 1 hour on Saturday as tensions over the Ukraine crisis reach a boiling point.

US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin talked over the phone for more than 1 hour on Saturday as tensions over the Ukraine crisis reach a boiling point. According to White House officials, Biden, during the call, warned Putin that Ukraine attack will bring “swift and severe costs”. Biden said that the United States "will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia” should it invade Ukraine. According to a readout from the White House, Biden stressed that “while the United States remains prepared to engage in diplomacy, in full coordination with our Allies and partners, we are equally prepared for other scenarios.” Putin, on the other hand, slammed the Western countries claim of an imminent Moscow invasion of Ukraine as a “provocation”. A US official told AFP that more than one-hour call between Biden and Putin had “no fundamental change.” “The call was professional and substantive and lasted a bit over an hour. There was no fundamental change in the dynamics unfolding now for several weeks," an unnamed US official said. Also read | Russia pulls out some diplomatic staff from Ukraine as tensions intensify Meanwhile, Dutch flight carrier KLM has suspended flights to Ukraine until further notice. The airline said it had cancelled its scheduled Saturday evening flight to Kyiv and suspended all other Ukraine flights “until further notice”, after it conducted a “comprehensive security analysis” as the Dutch government warned citizens against travel to the country. Russia has massed well over 100,000 troops near the Ukraine border and has sent troops to exercises in neighbouring Belarus, but denies that it intends to launch an offensive against Ukraine. Also read | Biden tells allies Russia may attack Ukraine on February 16: Reports The timing of any possible Russian military action is unclear. But the US intelligence claims that Russia is looking at Wednesday as a target date, according to media reports. The White House publicly underscored that the US does not know with certainty whether Putin is committed to invasion. (With inputs from agencies)

Hour-long Biden-Putin talks yield no breakthrough on Ukraine crisis

US President Joe Biden reportedly told the Western allies during a phone call that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, could launch an attack on Ukraine on February 16.

According to Politico, the leaders of the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Canada, Poland, Romania and France, as well as the NATO secretary general and the president of the European Commission took part in the talks.

It is being reported that Biden informed them that the "invasion"&nbsp;could be preceded by missile strikes and cyberattacks.

The media outlet, citing sources, said the call of the leaders indicated that cyberattacks were “imminent”, while another said intelligence reports were “specific and alarming”.

But the UK said it had a “different interpretation” of the alleged February 16 attack.

Politico reported that two European Union diplomats shared even more sceptical views, with one saying they “still refuse to buy it. It would be such a mistake by Putin. War is costly, Ukraine will fight them with everything.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-recalls-some-diplomatic-staff-from-ukraine-as-tensions-with-west-intensifies-452664" hreflang="en">Russia recalls some diplomatic staff from Ukraine as tensions intensify</a>

On Friday, US National security adviser Jake Sullivan mentioned that any attack on Ukraine could begin with “aerial bombing and missile attacks.”, saying that invasion could begin at any time, including “during the [Beijing] Olympics, despite a lot of speculation that it would only happen after the Olympics."

But Politico pointed out that Feb. 16 intelligence is “raw and not the overall assessment of the United States”.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-recalls-some-diplomatic-staff-from-ukraine-as-tensions-with-west-intensifies-452664">Russia recalls some diplomatic staff from Ukraine as tensions with West intensifies</a>

Meanwhile, Reuters has reported that Biden is sending 3,000 troops to Poland to join 1,700 who already are assembling there in a demonstration of American commitment to NATO allies worried at the prospect of Russia invading Ukraine,&nbsp;

Their mission will be to train and provide deterrence but not to engage in combat in Ukraine, Reuters said citing a US defence official.

(With inputs from agencies)

US President Joe Biden reportedly told the Western allies during a phone call that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, could launch an attack on Ukraine on February 16.

US President Joe Biden reportedly told the Western allies during a phone call that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, could launch an attack on Ukraine on February 16. According to Politico, the leaders of the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Canada, Poland, Romania and France, as well as the NATO secretary general and the president of the European Commission took part in the talks. It is being reported that Biden informed them that the "invasion" could be preceded by missile strikes and cyberattacks. The media outlet, citing sources, said the call of the leaders indicated that cyberattacks were “imminent”, while another said intelligence reports were “specific and alarming”. But the UK said it had a “different interpretation” of the alleged February 16 attack. Politico reported that two European Union diplomats shared even more sceptical views, with one saying they “still refuse to buy it. It would be such a mistake by Putin. War is costly, Ukraine will fight them with everything.” Also read | Russia recalls some diplomatic staff from Ukraine as tensions intensify On Friday, US National security adviser Jake Sullivan mentioned that any attack on Ukraine could begin with “aerial bombing and missile attacks.”, saying that invasion could begin at any time, including “during the [Beijing] Olympics, despite a lot of speculation that it would only happen after the Olympics." But Politico pointed out that Feb. 16 intelligence is “raw and not the overall assessment of the United States”. Also read | Russia recalls some diplomatic staff from Ukraine as tensions with West intensifies Meanwhile, Reuters has reported that Biden is sending 3,000 troops to Poland to join 1,700 who already are assembling there in a demonstration of American commitment to NATO allies worried at the prospect of Russia invading Ukraine, Their mission will be to train and provide deterrence but not to engage in combat in Ukraine, Reuters said citing a US defence official. (With inputs from agencies)

Biden tells allies Russia may attack Ukraine on February 16: Reports

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden held a high-stakes telephone call as tensions over a possibility imminent invasion of Ukraine escalated sharply.

Biden-Putin phone call on Ukraine fails to ease tension

The US has said that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is possible even before the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics. The US has repeated its warning of severe sanctions on Russia. Meanwhile, Military drills have intensified across Eastern Europe

US-Russia faceoff near Pacific Islands amid Ukraine conflict

Joe Biden warned Russian president Vladimir Putin that the US would impose swift and severe costs on Russia if his forces invaded Ukraine. The warning comes as US officials say a Russian invasion could begin "at any time."

US: Prepared for diplomacy & other scenarios over Ukraine crisis

No breakthrough on Ukraine after US President Biden & Russian President Putin's call

US President Joe Biden warns Russia's Vladimir Putin over Ukraine invasion

The Kremlin denounced US "peak hysteria" surrounding the Ukraine conflict but said Russian President Vladimir Putin and US leader Joe Biden had agreed to continue dialogue.

Kremlin denounces US 'peak hysteria' after Putin-Biden phone call

Russia accuses the West of seeking to provoke a conflict

A Canadian court on Friday ordered protesters blocking the Ambassador Bridge,&nbsp;a vital trade corridor between Canada and the United States,&nbsp;to leave right away, an official said.

"Injunction granted. Judge ruled that protestors must leave by 7:00 pm," tweeted Drew Dilkens, the mayor of Windsor, Ontario.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-ukraine-direct-trudeau-tweets-from-his-secret-hide-out-amid-trucker-protest-451580/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>

Upping the stakes, President Joe Biden Friday reiterated his "concern" to Trudeau, telling him the blockade of the Ambassador Bridge and two other border crossings was having serious effects on US firms.

Addressing reporters in Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said all options were "on the table" for ending the protests, though he stressed that calling in the military was a distant final resort, and "something to avoid having to do at all costs."

"This unlawful activity has to end and it will end," the prime minister said, adding that it was up to police to "enforce the law and protect public order."

The leader of Ontario, where police have avoided using force to disperse protesters, sought to build pressure on Friday by threatening C$100,000 fines and up to a year in prison for non-compliance.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/canadian-anti-vax-trucker-protest-fires-up-copycat-protests-451654">Canadian anti-vax trucker protest fires up copycat protests</a>

Convoy organisers said they were moved to protest by a federal government requirement that truck drivers be fully vaccinated if they want to avoid a 14-day quarantine upon re-entry from the United States. However it’s a bilateral measure with the US imposing the same rule on January 22, meaning that even if Canada ended the restriction, it would make no practical difference.

The demonstrators in Ottawa, Ontario and elsewhere are primarily demanding an end to all COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other restrictions including mask requirements — though most of those were put in place by provincial governments. Protesters have called, too, for Trudeau’s resignation.

The “freedom convoy” was announced in early January by a group called Canada Unity, which was founded by James Bauder, a supporter of the QAnon conspiracy theories. Also involved are Tamara Lich, who previously belonged to the far-right Maverick Party, which calls for western Canada to become independent; and a former member of Trudeau’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police security detail.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadian-trucker-protests-snarl-an-already-hobbled-auto-industry-452394" hreflang="en">Canadian trucker protests snarl an already hobbled auto industry</a>

Few actual commercial trucks are a part of the blockade at the Ambassador Bridge. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Friday that the last count he had was five of them there, with the rest being personal cars: “Ninety-nine percent of the truckers are working their backs off. ... This is about a political statement, that’s what this is about.”

The protests have also been widely condemned by truckers and trucking groups. That includes the Canadian Trucking Alliance, which says the vast majority of drivers are fully vaccinated, in line with the country’s broader population.

The Ambassador Bridge is the busiest border crossing between Canada and the United States. Spanning the Detroit River between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, the suspension bridge accounts for a whopping 25 per cent of all trade between the two countries, with $328 million (417 million Canadian dollars) in goods crossing each day.

The bridge is critical to the food sector in both countries as well as the auto industry; with crossings all but shut down, shortages have forced plants on both sides of the border to go offline or operate at reduced capacity.

(With inputs from agencies)

A Canadian court on Friday ordered protesters blocking the Ambassador Bridge, a vital trade corridor between Canada and the United States, to leave right away, an official said.

A Canadian court on Friday ordered protesters blocking the Ambassador Bridge, a vital trade corridor between Canada and the United States, to leave right away, an official said. "Injunction granted. Judge ruled that protestors must leave by 7:00 pm," tweeted Drew Dilkens, the mayor of Windsor, Ontario. Upping the stakes, President Joe Biden Friday reiterated his "concern" to Trudeau, telling him the blockade of the Ambassador Bridge and two other border crossings was having serious effects on US firms. Addressing reporters in Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said all options were "on the table" for ending the protests, though he stressed that calling in the military was a distant final resort, and "something to avoid having to do at all costs." "This unlawful activity has to end and it will end," the prime minister said, adding that it was up to police to "enforce the law and protect public order." The leader of Ontario, where police have avoided using force to disperse protesters, sought to build pressure on Friday by threatening C$100,000 fines and up to a year in prison for non-compliance. Also see | Canadian anti-vax trucker protest fires up copycat protests Convoy organisers said they were moved to protest by a federal government requirement that truck drivers be fully vaccinated if they want to avoid a 14-day quarantine upon re-entry from the United States. However it’s a bilateral measure with the US imposing the same rule on January 22, meaning that even if Canada ended the restriction, it would make no practical difference. The demonstrators in Ottawa, Ontario and elsewhere are primarily demanding an end to all COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other restrictions including mask requirements — though most of those were put in place by provincial governments. Protesters have called, too, for Trudeau’s resignation. The “freedom convoy” was announced in early January by a group called Canada Unity, which was founded by James Bauder, a supporter of the QAnon conspiracy theories. Also involved are Tamara Lich, who previously belonged to the far-right Maverick Party, which calls for western Canada to become independent; and a former member of Trudeau’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police security detail. Also read | Canadian trucker protests snarl an already hobbled auto industry Few actual commercial trucks are a part of the blockade at the Ambassador Bridge. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Friday that the last count he had was five of them there, with the rest being personal cars: “Ninety-nine percent of the truckers are working their backs off. ... This is about a political statement, that’s what this is about.” The protests have also been widely condemned by truckers and trucking groups. That includes the Canadian Trucking Alliance, which says the vast majority of drivers are fully vaccinated, in line with the country’s broader population. The Ambassador Bridge is the busiest border crossing between Canada and the United States. Spanning the Detroit River between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, the suspension bridge accounts for a whopping 25 per cent of all trade between the two countries, with $328 million (417 million Canadian dollars) in goods crossing each day. The bridge is critical to the food sector in both countries as well as the auto industry; with crossings all but shut down, shortages have forced plants on both sides of the border to go offline or operate at reduced capacity. (With inputs from agencies)

Ottawa protest: Canada court orders end of trucks' bridge blockade

The US has said that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is possible even before the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics. The US has repeated its warning of severe sanctions on Russia.

Sources: US President Joe Biden met his security advisers over the Ukraine crisis

Amid the ongoing Russian invasion fears, US President Joe Biden is all set to hold talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The US has said that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is possible even before the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

US President Biden to hold talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as invasion fear looms

Schkeema Troutman had just started describing the many difficulties of trying to raise a family in a city with high levels of lead in its drinking water when Vice President Kamala Harris noticed the mother of three was not being heard.

Troutman’s microphone was not working, limiting her voice to nearly a whisper at a roundtable discussion here Friday. So Harris stood and handed her microphone over to amplify Troutman’s story.

“You have so many different things to worry about,” Troutman said of owning a home near lead service lines, and the dozens of people in the room could hear her.

“That’s the thing,” Harris responded. “You should not have to worry about that.”

The brief exchange highlighted Harris' aim in traveling to Newark, which the administration views as a model of how a community can overcome water contamination after years of neglect. But for Harris and the White House, the trip was also an opportunity to amplify issues directly affecting underserved communities, particularly amid rising anxiety from civil rights advocates and grassroots organizations after seeing President Joe Biden’s sprawling proposals centered on racial equity slimmed during negotiations with a divided Congress.

The White House has made removing every lead pipe within 10 years in the United States a centerpiece of its plan to address racial disparities and environmental issues in the wake of water contamination crises in recent years from Newark to Flint, Michigan. As many as 10 million lead service lines still deliver water to schools, offices, homes and day care centers throughout the country.

Harris said Newark, which removed roughly 23,000 lead pipes in nearly three years, could provide a road map for communities across the United States. She described the issue as not just as a “public health crisis,” but also one fueling racial disparities.

“Lead pipes do exist in high-income communities, but in high-income communities, they have the income to fix it, which means that whether it gets fixed or not might be a function of how much money you have,” Harris said. “And that’s not right.”

Harris used the event to highlight $15 billion in funding to remove lead pipes that is part of the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package that Biden signed in November.

Biden initially proposed $45 billion in the infrastructure bill for lead removal. Another $10 billion is tucked in a sprawling social-safety net and climate package torpedoed by congressional gridlock. Other administration proposals that supporters celebrated for promoting racial equity have since been cut or removed entirely as Democrats try to salvage the plan, including investments in affordable housing, clean energy provisions, home health care work and reconnecting neighborhoods divided by highways.

First lady Jill Biden confirmed to educators this week that Democrats had cut a proposal to provide two free years of community college from the legislation, adding to the frustrations of civil rights leaders who say the administration is not prioritizing legislation aimed at helping Black and Latino communities.

“Nationwide, frustration is building given the failure to cancel student debt, expand voting rights and pass police reform,” said Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP. “For the most part, this administration is saying all the right words, but there are far too few outcomes to back those up.”

(BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.)

Along with providing Harris an opportunity to counter those complaints, the trip also gave her a chance to break out of Washington, amid concerns that she has lost political momentum and that the White House has sunk her with a portfolio that could produce few political victories.

“One of the tragedies of the first year, and it’s just been a year, has been that she’s been a prisoner of Washington, D.C., and she’s been a prisoner of the press and she’s not out in these streets,” Bakari Sellers, a former lawmaker in South Carolina and one of Harris’ top surrogates during her presidential campaign, told "The Breakfast Club," a New York-based radio show, last month. “I want her in these places actually talking to real people.”

(END OPTIONAL TRIM.)

Local officials and residents in Newark on Friday commended Harris for highlighting lead exposure, which can damage the brain and kidneys and interfere with red blood cells that carry oxygen to all parts of the body. The neurotoxin poses a particular danger to children, whose nervous systems are still developing.

But even as she won plaudits for her appearance Friday, her promotion of a solution whose future in Congress is partly uncertain risked creating another future political backlash for her.

“This is just what communities need: to be heard,” said Yvette Jordan, a teacher and chair of the Newark Education Workers Caucus, one of the plaintiffs who last year agreed to settle a federal lawsuit accusing Newark and state officials of violating safe water laws. “But this is a first step, not a last step.”

City officials in Newark were not always eager to talk about the issue. Mayor Ras Baraka, who sat with Harris on Friday, was long accused of neglecting the problem, even mailing a brochure to residents claiming that “the quality of water meets all federal and state standards,” despite evidence of alarming levels of lead.

But after intense scrutiny from community organizers and the federal government, the city began to acknowledge the severity of the issue. Newark accomplished its turnaround last year before the passage of the infrastructure bill; Baraka received $120 million in bonds from the county’s improvement authority.

If the Biden administration wants to see the progress replicated across the country, they will need the funding outlined in the sprawling social safety net package, known as Build Back Better, according to Erik Olson, senior strategic director for health at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an advocacy group. Even that might not be enough; removing every lead pipe in the nation could cost $60 billion, according to one industry estimate.

Olson’s organization has called for the Environmental Protection Agency to strengthen federal regulations that would require localities to remove lead pipes and recently sent letter to the agency demanding the administration prioritize investments to underserved communities.

“We’re worried,” he said, “they will be left behind.”

Schkeema Troutman had just started describing the many difficulties of trying to raise a family in a city with high levels of lead in its drinking water when Vice President Kamala Harris noticed the mother of three was not being heard.

Schkeema Troutman had just started describing the many difficulties of trying to raise a family in a city with high levels of lead in its drinking water when Vice President Kamala Harris noticed the mother of three was not being heard. Troutman’s microphone was not working, limiting her voice to nearly a whisper at a roundtable discussion here Friday. So Harris stood and handed her microphone over to amplify Troutman’s story. “You have so many different things to worry about,” Troutman said of owning a home near lead service lines, and the dozens of people in the room could hear her. “That’s the thing,” Harris responded. “You should not have to worry about that.” The brief exchange highlighted Harris' aim in traveling to Newark, which the administration views as a model of how a community can overcome water contamination after years of neglect. But for Harris and the White House, the trip was also an opportunity to amplify issues directly affecting underserved communities, particularly amid rising anxiety from civil rights advocates and grassroots organizations after seeing President Joe Biden’s sprawling proposals centered on racial equity slimmed during negotiations with a divided Congress. The White House has made removing every lead pipe within 10 years in the United States a centerpiece of its plan to address racial disparities and environmental issues in the wake of water contamination crises in recent years from Newark to Flint, Michigan. As many as 10 million lead service lines still deliver water to schools, offices, homes and day care centers throughout the country. Harris said Newark, which removed roughly 23,000 lead pipes in nearly three years, could provide a road map for communities across the United States. She described the issue as not just as a “public health crisis,” but also one fueling racial disparities. “Lead pipes do exist in high-income communities, but in high-income communities, they have the income to fix it, which means that whether it gets fixed or not might be a function of how much money you have,” Harris said. “And that’s not right.” Harris used the event to highlight $15 billion in funding to remove lead pipes that is part of the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package that Biden signed in November. Biden initially proposed $45 billion in the infrastructure bill for lead removal. Another $10 billion is tucked in a sprawling social-safety net and climate package torpedoed by congressional gridlock. Other administration proposals that supporters celebrated for promoting racial equity have since been cut or removed entirely as Democrats try to salvage the plan, including investments in affordable housing, clean energy provisions, home health care work and reconnecting neighborhoods divided by highways. First lady Jill Biden confirmed to educators this week that Democrats had cut a proposal to provide two free years of community college from the legislation, adding to the frustrations of civil rights leaders who say the administration is not prioritizing legislation aimed at helping Black and Latino communities. “Nationwide, frustration is building given the failure to cancel student debt, expand voting rights and pass police reform,” said Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP. “For the most part, this administration is saying all the right words, but there are far too few outcomes to back those up.” (BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.) Along with providing Harris an opportunity to counter those complaints, the trip also gave her a chance to break out of Washington, amid concerns that she has lost political momentum and that the White House has sunk her with a portfolio that could produce few political victories. “One of the tragedies of the first year, and it’s just been a year, has been that she’s been a prisoner of Washington, D.C., and she’s been a prisoner of the press and she’s not out in these streets,” Bakari Sellers, a former lawmaker in South Carolina and one of Harris’ top surrogates during her presidential campaign, told "The Breakfast Club," a New York-based radio show, last month. “I want her in these places actually talking to real people.” (END OPTIONAL TRIM.) Local officials and residents in Newark on Friday commended Harris for highlighting lead exposure, which can damage the brain and kidneys and interfere with red blood cells that carry oxygen to all parts of the body. The neurotoxin poses a particular danger to children, whose nervous systems are still developing. But even as she won plaudits for her appearance Friday, her promotion of a solution whose future in Congress is partly uncertain risked creating another future political backlash for her. “This is just what communities need: to be heard,” said Yvette Jordan, a teacher and chair of the Newark Education Workers Caucus, one of the plaintiffs who last year agreed to settle a federal lawsuit accusing Newark and state officials of violating safe water laws. “But this is a first step, not a last step.” City officials in Newark were not always eager to talk about the issue. Mayor Ras Baraka, who sat with Harris on Friday, was long accused of neglecting the problem, even mailing a brochure to residents claiming that “the quality of water meets all federal and state standards,” despite evidence of alarming levels of lead. But after intense scrutiny from community organizers and the federal government, the city began to acknowledge the severity of the issue. Newark accomplished its turnaround last year before the passage of the infrastructure bill; Baraka received $120 million in bonds from the county’s improvement authority. If the Biden administration wants to see the progress replicated across the country, they will need the funding outlined in the sprawling social safety net package, known as Build Back Better, according to Erik Olson, senior strategic director for health at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an advocacy group. Even that might not be enough; removing every lead pipe in the nation could cost $60 billion, according to one industry estimate. Olson’s organization has called for the Environmental Protection Agency to strengthen federal regulations that would require localities to remove lead pipes and recently sent letter to the agency demanding the administration prioritize investments to underserved communities. “We’re worried,” he said, “they will be left behind.”

Harris says replacing lead pipes is a priority, despite limited funding

President Joe Biden called on US citizens to leave Ukraine immediately due to the heightened risk of a Russian invasion. Biden reiterated that under no circumstances would he send US troops to Ukraine, even to rescue Americans in case of a Russian invasion.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict: US urges its citizens to leave Ukraine immediately

Republican lawmakers and conservative news outlets have accused the Biden administration of planning to give out pipes for smoking crack cocaine.

Their claims this week refer to a provision in an overdose prevention program announced in December. The program provides funding for “safe smoking kits,” but it makes no specific mention of glass pipes. In response to the outcry, Biden administration officials denied offering funding for such pipes.

Here’s a look at the facts.

What exactly is being funded?

The program, funded by the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package enacted last winter, will provide about $30 million in grants for harm reduction programs, which aim to reduce the personal and public health effects of drug use. There is no specific mention of crack pipes in the grant application materials.

Under the guidelines, grant recipients are required to create harm reduction action plans, distribute overdose medication, help curb the spread of infectious diseases and “purchase equipment and supplies to enhance harm reduction efforts.”

Safe smoking kits are listed as just one of the allowable purchases. The grants also provide funding for disease and drug testing kits, wound care supplies, condoms, syringes and vaccines. In a fact sheet about the program, the Department of Health and Human Services said it did not expect grant recipients to purchase all of the listed supplies.

The grant guidelines do not specify what the smoking kits should include. According to Harm Reduction International, a London-based nongovernmental organization, such kits can contain rubber mouthpieces, brass screens, lip balm, disinfectant wipes and glass stems — the “crack pipes” in question. The contents can vary based on the organization distributing the kit as well as state and local laws on the distribution of drug paraphernalia.

Moreover, the smoking kits are not specific to crack cocaine and can also be given to users of methamphetamine and opioids.

How has the administration responded?

Xavier Becerra, the secretary of health and human services, and Dr. Rahul Gupta, the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said in a joint statement on Wednesday that their agencies were “focused on using our resources smartly to reduce harm and save lives.”

They added that “no federal funding will be used directly or through subsequent reimbursement of grantees to put pipes in safe smoking kits.”

Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, was more emphatic. She told reporters that pipes “were never a part of the kit” and dismissed the suggestion that they would be included as inaccurate reporting. She was most likely referring to an article published Monday by The Washington Free Beacon, a conservative news outlet; citing an unnamed spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, the article said the kits would provide pipes.

The department did not respond when asked by The New York Times if glass pipes were ever allowable under the grant provisions.

Why fund safe smoking kits in the first place?

Advocates say the kits are an effective tool for outreach and health and safety education, and many expressed disappointment that the administration would not be providing funding for glass pipes.

“Backtracking on providing critical evidence-based resources that could greatly improve the health of people who consume drugs through smoking is a huge missed opportunity,” Kassandra Frederique, the executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, said in a statement.

HIPS, a harm reduction organization in Washington that applied for a grant under the administration’s program, distributed smoking kits in the 1990s and 2000s. Replacing broken and unsafe glass pipes had the effect of reducing the sharing of equipment and transmittable disease, said the group’s executive director, Cyndee Clay.

“Being able to offer people clean, safe equipment for use, it’s a first step in helping change their behavior,” she said, adding that when HIPS stopped distributing the kits, “our engagement lessened because we didn’t have the right materials to start that conversation.”

Clay said of the grant program, “It’s unfortunate that there is all this controversy over what is essentially a very small part of what this initiative will be able to accomplish.”

Jim Duffy, the founder of Smoke Works, a harm reduction organization and pipe distributor in Boston, described the kits as an early intervention tool that could prevent people from injecting drugs and connect them to other resources.

“It stands in place of something riskier,” Duffy said, adding that “it opens up to entirely new communities HIV testing, referral and health services.”

Duffy, whose organization did not apply for a grant, said he was disappointed that the Biden administration was “baited into a conversation that doesn’t need to be validated.”

Republican lawmakers and conservative news outlets have accused the Biden administration of planning to give out pipes for smoking crack cocaine. Their claims this week refer to a provision in an overdose prevention program announced in December.

Republican lawmakers and conservative news outlets have accused the Biden administration of planning to give out pipes for smoking crack cocaine. Their claims this week refer to a provision in an overdose prevention program announced in December. The program provides funding for “safe smoking kits,” but it makes no specific mention of glass pipes. In response to the outcry, Biden administration officials denied offering funding for such pipes. Here’s a look at the facts. What exactly is being funded? The program, funded by the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package enacted last winter, will provide about $30 million in grants for harm reduction programs, which aim to reduce the personal and public health effects of drug use. There is no specific mention of crack pipes in the grant application materials. Under the guidelines, grant recipients are required to create harm reduction action plans, distribute overdose medication, help curb the spread of infectious diseases and “purchase equipment and supplies to enhance harm reduction efforts.” Safe smoking kits are listed as just one of the allowable purchases. The grants also provide funding for disease and drug testing kits, wound care supplies, condoms, syringes and vaccines. In a fact sheet about the program, the Department of Health and Human Services said it did not expect grant recipients to purchase all of the listed supplies. The grant guidelines do not specify what the smoking kits should include. According to Harm Reduction International, a London-based nongovernmental organization, such kits can contain rubber mouthpieces, brass screens, lip balm, disinfectant wipes and glass stems — the “crack pipes” in question. The contents can vary based on the organization distributing the kit as well as state and local laws on the distribution of drug paraphernalia. Moreover, the smoking kits are not specific to crack cocaine and can also be given to users of methamphetamine and opioids. How has the administration responded? Xavier Becerra, the secretary of health and human services, and Dr. Rahul Gupta, the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said in a joint statement on Wednesday that their agencies were “focused on using our resources smartly to reduce harm and save lives.” They added that “no federal funding will be used directly or through subsequent reimbursement of grantees to put pipes in safe smoking kits.” Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, was more emphatic. She told reporters that pipes “were never a part of the kit” and dismissed the suggestion that they would be included as inaccurate reporting. She was most likely referring to an article published Monday by The Washington Free Beacon, a conservative news outlet; citing an unnamed spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, the article said the kits would provide pipes. The department did not respond when asked by The New York Times if glass pipes were ever allowable under the grant provisions. Why fund safe smoking kits in the first place? Advocates say the kits are an effective tool for outreach and health and safety education, and many expressed disappointment that the administration would not be providing funding for glass pipes. “Backtracking on providing critical evidence-based resources that could greatly improve the health of people who consume drugs through smoking is a huge missed opportunity,” Kassandra Frederique, the executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, said in a statement. HIPS, a harm reduction organization in Washington that applied for a grant under the administration’s program, distributed smoking kits in the 1990s and 2000s. Replacing broken and unsafe glass pipes had the effect of reducing the sharing of equipment and transmittable disease, said the group’s executive director, Cyndee Clay. “Being able to offer people clean, safe equipment for use, it’s a first step in helping change their behavior,” she said, adding that when HIPS stopped distributing the kits, “our engagement lessened because we didn’t have the right materials to start that conversation.” Clay said of the grant program, “It’s unfortunate that there is all this controversy over what is essentially a very small part of what this initiative will be able to accomplish.” Jim Duffy, the founder of Smoke Works, a harm reduction organization and pipe distributor in Boston, described the kits as an early intervention tool that could prevent people from injecting drugs and connect them to other resources. “It stands in place of something riskier,” Duffy said, adding that “it opens up to entirely new communities HIV testing, referral and health services.” Duffy, whose organization did not apply for a grant, said he was disappointed that the Biden administration was “baited into a conversation that doesn’t need to be validated.”

Explaining the claim that the Biden administration is funding ‘crack pipes’

After a slew of diplomatic meetings trying to deescalate tensions over Ukraine, French president Emmanuel Macron briefed his US counterpart Joe Biden about his meetings with the top leaders.

France's Macron briefs Biden after 'diplomatic meetings' over Russia-Ukraine tensions

New York's Governor on Wednesday announced to put an end to mandatory masking mandate in most of the indoor places in the city, but ruled out schools for now. The Governor added that the decline in infection rates and hospitalisations have led to rescind the order.

New York to lift mandatory masking law, rules out schools

US lawmakers considered president Biden's nominee to lead the military's top command overseeing operations in the middle east in a wide-ranging senate confirmation hearing. Lieutenant general Michael Kurilla warned that Al Qaeda and ISIS are reconstituting.

Lieutenant general Michael Kurilla warns Al Qaeda-ISIS merger in Afghanistan

President Joe Biden said Monday "it would be wise"&nbsp;for Americans other than essential diplomats to leave Ukraine amid the Russian military threat.

Biden made his comments during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the White House, shortly after the two leaders met for talks about the simmering crisis.

The State Department has already authorized nonessential employees to leave and has called on all family members of diplomats in Ukraine to do so.

Biden also said Monday "there will no longer be Nord Stream 2,"&nbsp;a crucial Russia-to-Germany natural gas pipeline, if Russia further invades Ukraine with "tanks and troops."

International efforts to defuse the standoff over Ukraine intensified Monday, with French President Emmanuel Macron holding talks in Moscow and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Washington to coordinate policies as fears of a Russian invasion mounted.

The buildup of over 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine has fueled Western worries of a possible offensive. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan warned Sunday that Russia could invade Ukraine "any day,"&nbsp;triggering a conflict that would come at an "enormous human cost."

Russia has denied any plans to attack its neighbour but demands that the U.S. And its allies bar Ukraine and other former Soviet nations from joining NATO, halt weapons deployments there and roll back NATO forces from Eastern Europe. Washington and NATO reject those demands.

Speaking at the start of his meeting with Scholz, U.S. President Joe Biden said that the U.S. And Germany were "working in lockstep to further deter Russian aggression in Europe."

Scholz added: "We are closest allies and we are working intensely together, and this is necessary for doing the steps that we have to do, for instance, fighting against Russian aggression against Ukraine."

Macron, meanwhile, called for de-escalation as he began talks with President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin. "Dialogue is necessary because that's the only thing that will help, in my views, to build a context of a security and stability on the European continent,"&nbsp;Macron said, adding that he's ready to "start building an effective response."

Putin, in turn, praised France's role in shaping European security, saying he appreciates Macron's efforts to help ensure "an equal security in Europe"&nbsp;and broker a settlement to the Ukrainian crisis. "I realize that we share concern about what's going on in Europe in the security sphere,"&nbsp;the Russian leader said as he faced Macron across a long table.

Macron and Putin then met for hours of one-on-one talks and a meal that included fish soup, the choice of sturgeon or reindeer with sweet potatoes and pear pie with vanilla ice cream.

Macron, who heads Tuesday to Ukraine, spoke by phone Sunday with Biden. Before the Putin meeting, Macron said: "I don't believe in spontaneous miracles."

"The security and sovereignty of Ukraine or any other European state cannot be a subject for compromise, while it is also legitimate for Russia to pose the question of its own security,"&nbsp;Macron told the French newspaper Journal du Dimanche, adding he believes "the geopolitical objective of Russia today is clearly not Ukraine, but to clarify the rules of cohabitation with NATO and the EU."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov sought to temper expectations, saying "the situation is too complex to expect a decisive breakthrough after just one meeting,"&nbsp;and noting the West has ignored Moscow's security demands.

Before meeting Biden, Scholz told German media that "there will be a very high price if Ukraine is attacked militarily. And we are preparing for this very precisely and have been talking about the details for a long time.? Scholz will travel to Kyiv and Moscow Feb. 14-15.

Ahead of the visit, the White House sought to play down Germany's refusal to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine, bolster its troops in Eastern Europe or spell out which sanctions it would support against Russia ? a cautious stand that has drawn criticism abroad and inside Germany.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Monday again pushed back against criticism of Germany that it's not doing enough to support Ukraine.

"The president has also noted&nbsp;that different countries make different contributions,"&nbsp;Psaki said, noting Germany's significant nonmilitary aid to Ukraine.

Psaki also reiterated that the Nord Stream 2 Russian gas pipeline to Germany "will not move forward"&nbsp;should Russia further invade Ukraine. But she sidestepped questions about whether the Germans have given the White House assurances that it would shut off the pipeline that has been completed and is currently awaiting certification by German and EU regulators.

Separately German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said her country would add up to 350 troops within a few days to about 500 already a part of a NATO battlegroup in Lithuania. "With this, we are strengthening our contribution to forces on NATO's eastern flank and sending a very clear signal of unity to our allies,"&nbsp;she said.

Biden already has deployed additional U.S. Troops to Poland, Romania and Germany, and a few dozen elite U.S troops and equipment landed Sunday in southeastern Poland near the border with Ukraine, with hundreds more infantry troops of the 82nd Airborne Division set to arrive.

Britain said it was sending 350 troops to Poland to bolster NATO forces, joining 100 Royal Engineers already there.

President Joe Biden said Monday "it would be wise" for Americans other than essential diplomats to leave Ukraine amid the Russian military threat. Biden made his comments during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the White House, shortly after the two leaders met for talks about the simmering crisis.

President Joe Biden said Monday "it would be wise" for Americans other than essential diplomats to leave Ukraine amid the Russian military threat. Biden made his comments during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the White House, shortly after the two leaders met for talks about the simmering crisis. The State Department has already authorized nonessential employees to leave and has called on all family members of diplomats in Ukraine to do so. Biden also said Monday "there will no longer be Nord Stream 2," a crucial Russia-to-Germany natural gas pipeline, if Russia further invades Ukraine with "tanks and troops." International efforts to defuse the standoff over Ukraine intensified Monday, with French President Emmanuel Macron holding talks in Moscow and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Washington to coordinate policies as fears of a Russian invasion mounted. The buildup of over 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine has fueled Western worries of a possible offensive. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan warned Sunday that Russia could invade Ukraine "any day," triggering a conflict that would come at an "enormous human cost." Russia has denied any plans to attack its neighbour but demands that the U.S. And its allies bar Ukraine and other former Soviet nations from joining NATO, halt weapons deployments there and roll back NATO forces from Eastern Europe. Washington and NATO reject those demands. Speaking at the start of his meeting with Scholz, U.S. President Joe Biden said that the U.S. And Germany were "working in lockstep to further deter Russian aggression in Europe." Scholz added: "We are closest allies and we are working intensely together, and this is necessary for doing the steps that we have to do, for instance, fighting against Russian aggression against Ukraine." Macron, meanwhile, called for de-escalation as he began talks with President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin. "Dialogue is necessary because that's the only thing that will help, in my views, to build a context of a security and stability on the European continent," Macron said, adding that he's ready to "start building an effective response." Putin, in turn, praised France's role in shaping European security, saying he appreciates Macron's efforts to help ensure "an equal security in Europe" and broker a settlement to the Ukrainian crisis. "I realize that we share concern about what's going on in Europe in the security sphere," the Russian leader said as he faced Macron across a long table. Macron and Putin then met for hours of one-on-one talks and a meal that included fish soup, the choice of sturgeon or reindeer with sweet potatoes and pear pie with vanilla ice cream. Macron, who heads Tuesday to Ukraine, spoke by phone Sunday with Biden. Before the Putin meeting, Macron said: "I don't believe in spontaneous miracles." "The security and sovereignty of Ukraine or any other European state cannot be a subject for compromise, while it is also legitimate for Russia to pose the question of its own security," Macron told the French newspaper Journal du Dimanche, adding he believes "the geopolitical objective of Russia today is clearly not Ukraine, but to clarify the rules of cohabitation with NATO and the EU." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov sought to temper expectations, saying "the situation is too complex to expect a decisive breakthrough after just one meeting," and noting the West has ignored Moscow's security demands. Before meeting Biden, Scholz told German media that "there will be a very high price if Ukraine is attacked militarily. And we are preparing for this very precisely and have been talking about the details for a long time.? Scholz will travel to Kyiv and Moscow Feb. 14-15. Ahead of the visit, the White House sought to play down Germany's refusal to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine, bolster its troops in Eastern Europe or spell out which sanctions it would support against Russia ? a cautious stand that has drawn criticism abroad and inside Germany. White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Monday again pushed back against criticism of Germany that it's not doing enough to support Ukraine. "The president has also noted that different countries make different contributions," Psaki said, noting Germany's significant nonmilitary aid to Ukraine. Psaki also reiterated that the Nord Stream 2 Russian gas pipeline to Germany "will not move forward" should Russia further invade Ukraine. But she sidestepped questions about whether the Germans have given the White House assurances that it would shut off the pipeline that has been completed and is currently awaiting certification by German and EU regulators. Separately German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said her country would add up to 350 troops within a few days to about 500 already a part of a NATO battlegroup in Lithuania. "With this, we are strengthening our contribution to forces on NATO's eastern flank and sending a very clear signal of unity to our allies," she said. Biden already has deployed additional U.S. Troops to Poland, Romania and Germany, and a few dozen elite U.S troops and equipment landed Sunday in southeastern Poland near the border with Ukraine, with hundreds more infantry troops of the 82nd Airborne Division set to arrive. Britain said it was sending 350 troops to Poland to bolster NATO forces, joining 100 Royal Engineers already there.

It 'would be wise' for Americans to leave Ukraine, says Biden

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