The warning is unequivocal. The United States said on Friday that Russia might invade Ukraine before the end of the Olympics, which end on February 20, and resort to “aerial bombardment”. Even if Washington claims to have no evidence indicating that Vladimir Putin has made his decision, 3,000 additional soldiers will be sent to Poland in the coming days, and many countries have called on their nationals to evacuate Ukraine within 24 or 48 time.
For Melinda Haring, expert on the region at the Atlantic Council, an influential American think tank, the press conference by White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan leaves no doubt: “Putin will go to war this weekend. end or early next week. It’s going to hit Ukraine, and US intelligence clearly has evidence that they’ve communicated to their allies.”
On Thursday, a teleconference brought together a dozen Western leaders, Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, as well as the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, the Polish President, Andrzej Duda, or even the President of the Italian Council Mario Draghi and the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.
Arrival of new Russian forces
“We continue to see signs of Russian escalation, including the arrival of new forces on the Ukrainian border”, declared, Jake Sullivan, according to whom this invasion can “intervene at any time”, including before the end of the OJ. Here he brushes aside the speculation of observers believing that Vladimir Putin would not risk irritating his ally Xi Jinping by attacking during the Games.
The Americans, who shared the analyzes of their intelligence services with their allies, sketched out a dramatic scenario in the event of a Russian offensive. This “would probably start with aerial bombardments and missile fire which might obviously kill civilians”, Jake Sullivan told the press. It might also include “a rapid assault” on Kiev. Melinda Haring, she considers more likely a “gradual” offensive starting with a massive cyberattack followed by a neutralization of energy infrastructure. And, if Ukraine does not capitulate, it does not rule out an attack on President Zelensky.
Jake Sullivan called on Americans in Ukraine to leave the country “within 24 to 48 hours”, relaying the very direct warning issued the day before by Joe Biden. On Thursday, Israel, a close ally of Washington, evacuated its diplomatic personnel and their families. Canada, South Korea, Japan and the United Kingdom have also called on their nationals to leave Ukraine as soon as possible.
Putin to hold talks with Biden and Macron on Saturday
Despite the drumbeat, the diplomacy continues. Vladimir Poutine will talk on the phone with Emmanuel Macron then Joe Biden on Saturday. But “diplomacy did not allow any progress, Putin played the clock”, tackles the expert. Who judges that the West was naïve in thinking “that the threat of sanctions” and a few thousand troops would be enough to deter Moscow.
Joe Biden has been clear: he will not send American troops to Ukraine, even to evacuate American nationals. Melinda Haring believes that the American president “better remain vague regarding what he is not ready to do”. At the risk of emboldening Vladimir Putin.