According to White House officials, President Joe Biden plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday. In a White House briefing on Friday, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said there is a “very distinct chance” of a Russian invasion of Ukraine in the next days, adding that an attack might happen during the Beijing Olympics. All Americans still in Ukraine, according to Sullivan, should depart within the next 24 to 48 hours. Citizens from a number of other nations have also been warned to evacuate the country. According to ABC News, despite military operations in the region, including the deployment of more than 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, Russia claims there are no preparations to invade.
Because of the mounting prospect of invasion, the US Embassy in Ukraine said on Saturday that it had ordered the departure of most direct-hire staff from Ukraine. The embassy said it will provide limited consular services from Lviv, in western Ukraine.
The embassy is expecting to lose around 200 diplomats. Last month, non-essential workers and the families of US diplomats were asked to leave. As the Biden administration strives to avoid a repeat of the messy exit from Afghanistan, the White House approved a Pentagon plan for US troops in Poland to assist thousands of Americans anticipated to evacuate Ukraine if Russia attacked.
On Saturday, the White House warned that Russia may attack Ukraine with massive military action at any time and advised Americans to depart by Sunday. Russia has denied in the past that it is planning an invasion, despite amassing 130,000 troops at Ukraine’s borders in recent weeks. Later on Saturday, President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet to discuss the problem.
