Ukraine: SecDef, NATO’s doomsday prediction?
“We are told that February 16 will be the day of the attack,” Zelenskyy said in a video statement posted on Facebook, with NBC following up. Spokesman, Sergii Nykyforov, said that the president, was only repeating media reports.
“The president referred to a date that was spread by the media,” the spokesman told NBC News.
Some observers said Zelenskyy appeared to Ukrainian speakers to have been sarcastic when discussing the possible date of an attack.
Biden’s crystal ball has failed thus far, as Putin forgot to invade Ukraine 16 Feb.
15 Feb, Biden reveals the underlying energy concerns in a speech that is an attempt to portray Greatness and fighting for liberty and freedom. Biden said diplomacy is on the table, but added:
“We have not yet verified that Russian military units are returning to their home bases. Indeed, our analysts indicate that they remain very much in a threatening position. And the fact remains: Right now, Russia has more than 150,000 troops encircling Ukraine in Belarus and along Ukraine’s border.
“An invasion remains distinctly possible. That’s why I’ve asked several times that all Americans in Ukraine leave now before it’s too late to leave safely. It is why we have temporarily relocated our embassy from Kyiv to Lviv in western Ukraine, approaching the Polish border. …..
Biden continues about Russia choosing bloodshed, forgetting about Obama Biden wars Syria, Libya and Yemen. Then he brings up the issues that won’t fade: Oil and natural gas. Keep in mind U.S. interventions such as Yemen are at the request of Saudi Arabia.
“And when it comes to Nord Stream 2, the pipeline that would bring natural gas from Russia to Germany, if Russia further invades Ukraine, it will not happen.
“While I will not send American servicemen to fight Russia in Ukraine, we have supplied the Ukrainian military with equipment to help them defend themselves. We have provided training and advice and intelligence for the same purpose.
“And make no mistake: The United States will defend every inch of NATO territory with the full force of American power. An attack against one NATO country is an attack against all of us. And the United States commitment to Article 5 is sacrosanct.
“Already, in response to Russia’s build-up of troops, I have sent additional U.S. forces to bolster NATO’s eastern flank.
“And if Russia invades, we will take further steps to reinforce our presence in NATO, reassure for our Allies, and deter further aggression.
“This is a cause that unites Republicans and Democrats. And I want to thank the leaders and members of Congress of both parties who have forcefully spoken out in defense of our most basic, most bipartisan, most American principles.
“I will not pretend this will be painless. There could be impact on our energy prices, so we are taking active steps to alleviate the pressure on our own energy markets and offset rising prices.
“We’re coordinating with major enersy [sic] — energy consumers and producers. We’re prepared to deploy all the tools and authority at our disposal to provide relief at the gas pump.
“And I will work with Congress on additional measures to help protect consumers and address the impact of prices at the pump.
“We are not seeking direct confrontation with Russia, though I have been clear that if Russia targets Americans in Ukraine, we will respond forcefully.
“And if Russia attacks the United States or our Allies through asymmetric means, like disruptive cyberattacks against our companies or critical infrastructure, we are prepared to respond. Full Speech
NATO Defense Ministers Meet as Russia Still Threatens Ukraine
FEB. 16, 2022 | BY JIM GARAMONE, DOD NEWS
Defense ministers are meeting as the alliance faces the biggest challenge in Europe since the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Alliance members are united in their opposition to Russian threats against Ukrainian sovereignty and have called on Russia to de-escalate the situation by pulling its troops from the border of Ukraine.
The Russian defense ministry said yesterday that some military units are leaving their positions near Ukraine. “That would be good, but we have not yet verified that,” President Joe Biden said during an update on the situation from the White House. “We have not yet verified that Russian military units are returning to their home bases. Indeed, our analysts indicate that they remain very much in a threatening position. And the fact remains: Right now, Russia has more than 150,000 troops encircling Ukraine in Belarus and along Ukraine’s border.” Spotlight: NATO
The Russians have sent mixed signals, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said today at the beginning of the meeting of the alliance’s defense ministers. “I think the message and the signs we heard from Moscow yesterday provides some grounds for cautious optimism because that was a message about diplomacy,” he said. “We have been ready for diplomatic efforts [and] talks with Russia throughout this crisis. We have stated that again and again and conveyed our proposals to Russia in writing, and we are waiting for their response.”
“At the same time, we have not seen any withdrawal of Russian forces,” Stoltenberg continued. “That contradicts the message of real diplomatic efforts. It remains to be seen whether there is a Russian withdrawal. We are monitoring very closely what Russia does in and around Ukraine. They have increased the number of troops and more troops are on their way. So far, there is no de-escalation.”
The Russian build-up is unprecedented since the end of the Cold War, and Stoltenberg repeated that Russian President Vladimir Putin “still has time to step back from the brink, stop preparing for war, and start working for a peaceful solution.”
The alliance is working for a diplomatic solution, but it is preparing for any scenario. The secretary general welcomed the increased U.S. presence in Europe with more troops in the eastern part of the alliance. The United States moved a 1,000-man Stryker squadron from Germany to Romania and is deploying a brigade from the 82nd Airborne to Poland. There is also a 300-man headquarters now operating in Germany.
In addition, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III has ordered 8,500 service members to a heightened level of readiness and set to deploy if NATO activates its Rapid Reaction Force.
The U.S. troop movements are concrete examples of the U.S. commitment to NATO and the premise that an attack on one is an attack on all. “You’ve heard us say a number of times that we’re committed to Article 5 and also the principles of collective security,” Austin told Stoltenberg before the ministerial began. “So you can expect that commitment will remain rock solid going forward.”