Ukraine | Washington repeats that a Russian invasion is possible “at any time”

(Washington) The Russians could attack Ukraine “at any time”, senior American officials repeated on Sunday, the day after a call between Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin which did not give them “reason for optimism”.

The telephone conversation between the two presidents “certainly did not show that things were moving in the right direction,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told Fox. There “is no sign that Putin intends to ease the tensions”, he added.

“We believe major military action could take place at any time,” he continued.

Russia, which denies any desire for war, has since November massed more than 100,000 soldiers on the border with Ukraine and has begun military maneuvers in Belarus and the Black Sea in recent days, de facto surrounding its neighbor.

“For ten days, we have seen an acceleration in the reinforcement of Russian troops and their positioning closer to the border, so that military action could be launched very, very quickly”, added on CNN the national security adviser. of the White House, Jake Sullivan.

For him, the attack “could take place as early as this week”. “It is likely to start with heavy missile fire and shelling,” followed by “ground troop movements.”

It remains possible, he said, that Vladimir Putin will opt for the diplomatic route. “I’m not in his head,” Jake Sullivan said.

Asked about the reservations expressed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, for whom the United States is too alarmist, he explained that Washington had decided to share its analyzes publicly to “prevent Russia from taking Ukraine and the world by surprise”. .

President Zelensky and Joe Biden are due to speak by telephone on Sunday.

In recent days, diplomatic efforts have intensified to try to avoid a war in Ukraine. After the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is expected Monday in Kiev and Tuesday in Moscow.