The U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) stated on Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has raised the level of military mobilization concerning aircraft and medical services, and he has all the capabilities to launch an invasion at any moment within Ukraine. This comes as White House spokesperson Jen Psaki confirmed that Washington does not know what President Putin will do regarding Ukraine. During the daily press briefing on Tuesday, she said, "Russia claims to be the victim and is protecting itself from Ukraine, but the opposite is true." Psaki emphasized that de-escalation by Russia would keep diplomatic opportunities greater, stating that the doors of diplomacy with Russia are still open.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke by phone on Tuesday with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the current president of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Zbigniew Rau, and the EU's High Representative Josep Borrell. Blinken reiterated his support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and discussed diplomatic relations with Russia in light of Russia's military buildup on Ukraine's borders. The participants in these phone conversations agreed to continue close coordination and their commitment to seeking a diplomatic solution to prevent further aggression against Ukraine.
For his part, U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that Secretary Blinken made it clear to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that the U.S. response sent to Russia included addressing both Russian and U.S.-European concerns. The U.S. spokesperson indicated that Lavrov told Secretary Blinken that Russia is preparing an official response to the U.S. reply and that it will be reviewed by President Putin before being sent to Washington.
In another development, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned during a visit to Kyiv on Tuesday of a "clear and imminent danger" of Russian military intervention in Ukraine. Johnson stated during a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky: "There is a clear and present danger; we see a large number of troops amassing, we see preparations for operations of various kinds that are in line with an imminent military campaign." He added, "Our view is that the time is urgent and this is something that needs to be addressed now."
For his part, President Zelensky warned Moscow of a "tragedy" if its forces invade his country, confirming that his army has significantly improved its capabilities after nearly eight years of ongoing war with Russian-backed separatists in the east of the country. Zelensky said, "To those who want to seize a part of our territory, there are great risks now. Ukrainians will defend themselves to the end. The Russians must hear us and understand that no one wants a war."
