Stay updates: Russia invades Ukraine

The Biden administration needs to “cut back the rhetoric and deescalate” after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his nation’s deterrence forces – which embrace nuclear arms – be positioned on excessive alert, the White Home stated Monday. 

“We have seen this sample from President Putin over the course of the final a number of months and even earlier than then, the place he manufactures the menace in an effort to justify a better aggressive motion,” White Home press secretary Jen Psaki advised MSNBC.

“The Russians – President Putin included because the chief of Russia – have dedicated to taking steps to cut back nuclear threats,” she added. “Everyone is aware of that that isn’t a conflict that may be gained.” 

Psaki stated the US has its “personal preparations” and “personal capability and capability to defend america,” however has not modified alert ranges. 

The administration can also be doubling down on the choice to not use US troops to create a no-fly zone in Ukraine, calling it “not a good suggestion” and “not one thing the President needs to do.”

The implementation of a no-fly zone by the US navy “would primarily imply the US navy can be taking pictures down planes, Russian planes,” Psaki stated. “That’s positively escalatory that will doubtlessly put us into a spot the place we’re in a navy battle with Russia.

US President Joe Biden will discuss in regards to the state of affairs in Ukraine throughout his State of the Union tackle on Tuesday, she confirmed.

Biden would discuss “the truth that the President has constructed a coalition of nations all over the world to face as much as Russian aggression, to face as much as President Putin, to place in place crippling sanctions, that will likely be part of what folks will hear within the speech. That would not have been the case three months in the past,” she stated. 

“If we glance again at historical past,” she continued, “President Obama gave a speech in the course of the worst monetary disaster of our lifetime. President Bush gave a speech shortly after the worst terrorist assault on our homeland ever. It is all the time about expressing how you are going to depart the nation.” 

She stated there can be new coverage proposals within the speech.