Will Russia finally invade Ukraine?
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(CNN) --
US President Joe Biden is close to publicly naming his ambassador to Ukraine, but his administration is still awaiting formal approval from Kyiv, US and Ukrainian sources told CNN.
UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine crisis ends in US-Russia confrontation
Biden chose Bridget Brink, the current US ambassador to Slovakia, although he has not yet officially named her because the Ukrainian government has not endorsed the decision, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Obtaining the approval of the foreign government is part of the standard selection process for ambassadors.
And it can usually take anywhere from days to weeks.
A source close to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told CNN on Monday that the Ukrainian government is still investigating Brink.
A senior Ukrainian official emphasized that there were no delays in the process.
And he pointed out that the US proposed the new candidate about a week ago and that she is now going through a standard review.
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Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently said that the next US ambassador to Ukraine would be announced "very soon."
Then, he added: "I can tell you that when an ambassador is appointed, that person will have the full confidence of the President of the United States, that person will be someone that I know well and have a close relationship with. And that person will have experience and knowledge. very demonstrable in this region".
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Currently, the chargé d'affaires, Kristina Kvien, remains at the embassy in Ukraine.
The United States has not had a permanent ambassador to the country since Marie Yovanovitch, who was ousted after speaking out against former President Donald Trump's administration.
Last week, the State Department ordered the families of diplomats at the US embassy in Kyiv to leave the country, amid rising tensions with Russia, and allowed non-essential staff to depart voluntarily.
However, the vast majority of employees have chosen to stay, sources told CNN last week.
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The tension between Russia and the United States over Ukraine
The United States is increasingly concerned that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could happen at any moment, as Moscow moves more troops and military equipment along the Kyiv border.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said last week that a Russian invasion is "imminent."
Biden said Monday that the United States and its partners and allies are preparing for "all scenarios" after a key United Nations Security Council meeting on the situation on the Russia-Ukraine border.
The president said in a statement that the United States "made clear to the international community the full implications of that threat: not only for Ukraine, but also for the basic principles of the UN Charter and the modern international order."
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As part of its latest US effort to deter Russia from attacking Ukraine, the Biden administration has identified several elite Russian government officials and business leaders that the US intends to sanction if Russia invades Ukraine, reported CNN previously.
A senior official said "targeted sanctions packages" have been developed against Russian elites "within or near the inner circles of the Kremlin and who play a role in government decision-making, or are, at a minimum, complicit in the behavior." destabilizing the Kremlin".
Their families would also be sanctioned, the official added.
Biden warned last week that he would consider sanctioning President Vladimir Putin himself if Russia were to invade.
But the official declined to reveal the names of specific people the US is considering for possible sanctions.
This is because the administration does not want people to have any prior warning.
In addition, the two top senators on the Foreign Relations Committee, Republican Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Democratic Senator Jim Risch of Idaho, said Sunday that they are confident of reaching a bipartisan agreement on Russian sanctions when the Senate returns from its session. break, which was this Monday.
CNN's Matthew Chance contributed to this report.
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