Crisis in Ukraine: Biden asks Americans to leave the country “now”

The warning is clear.

US President Joe Biden on Thursday called on US citizens to leave Ukraine "now" due to the increased risk of a Russian invasion.

“Things could quickly get out of hand,” he explained in an interview with NBC, repeating that he would not send soldiers on the ground in Ukraine, even to evacuate Americans in the event of a disaster. a Russian invasion, as this could trigger "a world war".

"When Americans and Russians start shooting at each other, we're in a very different world," he said.

"We are dealing with one of the largest armies in the world," pleaded the president in reference to the Russian army.

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Canada made similar recommendations.

“If you are in Ukraine, you should leave,” the Foreign Ministry says on its website.

“Russian military action in Ukraine could disrupt travel and services across the country.

Flights could be disrupted or canceled,” the ministry said, concluding: “Be prepared to take shelter.”

“Encourage the Russians” to make the right choices

A few hours before Joe Biden's statements, the American ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, urged China "to encourage the Russians" to make the right choices in the Ukrainian crisis.

“The Chinese expressed strong concern in the Security Council (January 31) for the protection of border integrity and state sovereignty.

That's exactly what the Russians do - they threaten the integrity of a border,” the diplomat said.

“It would therefore be extremely important for China to transmit this message” and “I encourage my Chinese counterpart in New York to relay it”, she specified.

On Twitter, his Chinese counterpart Zhang Jun immediately reacted: "Stop stirring up tension".

Our message is consistent and clear:

Resolve any differences through diplomacy.

Stop hyping up the tension.

Russia's legitimate security concerns should be seriously addressed.

I'm sure my US counterpart has heard my remarks made at the Security Council the other day.

https://t.co/yKcoAkGfF1

— Zhang Jun (@ChinaAmbUN) February 10, 2022

US B-52 strategic bombers arrived in the UK on Thursday to take part in a "long-planned" exercise with NATO allies, the US Air Force said.

The US Navy said on Thursday that four US destroyers left the United States last month to take part in a naval exercise in the Sixth Fleet area, which includes the Mediterranean.

Military maneuvers of the Russian and Belarusian armies

These announcements come at a time when, in addition to some 100,000 men massed on the Ukrainian border, the Russian and Belarusian armies are carrying out major maneuvers in Belarus, a former Soviet republic bordering Ukraine, which has remained an ally of Moscow.

This Thursday, Russia announced the arrival in Crimea of ​​six warships as part of these exercises.

Amid a war of nerves and intensified diplomatic efforts in recent weeks, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has warned Russia not to underestimate the "unity" and "determination" of Europeans. .

Affirming that he wanted to avoid “unfortunate incidents” occurring when these military exercises began, the American Chief of Staff, General Mark Milley, had a telephone conversation with his Belarusian counterpart, General Viktor Goulevitch.