A Russian invasion of Ukraine can happen anytime now, the White House said Wednesday as President Joe Biden announced plans to dispatch Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Tony Blinken to attend the Munich conference to meet world leaders and unite them against Moscow.
Biden reportedly said that the threat of Russian invasion is "very high, because they have not moved any of their troops out". He added, "They've moved more troops in. We have reason to believe they're engaged in a false flag operation to have an excuse to go in. Every indication we have is that they're prepared to go into Ukraine. My sense is it will happen in the next several days."
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Both Harris and Blinken are now flying to Germany to attend the Munich security conference from February 18 to 20.
"She will build on the President's and the national security team's intensive engagement with European allies and partners and continue to emphasize with our partners our ironclad commitment to our NATO allies, underscore our commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and reaffirm our shared interest in upholding the principles that have underpinned European peace and security," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.
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"She'll be participating in the formal programme of the conference as well as engaging with allies and partners and meeting with leaders on the margins," Psaki said.
The Kremlin has repeatedly denied it has plans to attack Ukraine but demanded that NATO never admit Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations as members and the military alliance roll back troop deployments in former Soviet bloc nations.
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Earlier in the day, Secretary of State Blinken said the Russian troops remain massed in a very threatening way at the border. Of course, the door continues to be open to diplomacy, Psaki said.