On video, Russia's military tests in Belarus 0:37
(CNN) --
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that a Russian invasion of Ukraine "could start at any time," including during the Beijing Winter Olympics, and the United States continues to "see signs very worrying of a Russian escalation, including new forces arriving at the Ukrainian border."
News of the crisis between Ukraine and Russia, the conflict that keeps the world on edge
White House says US doesn't believe Putin has decided to invade Ukraine, but it's a 'clear possibility'
The top US diplomat made the remarks along with his counterparts from the Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, also known as the Quad, with Australia, India and Japan) after a day of meetings in Melbourne and after the State Department and the President Joe Biden warned US citizens to leave Ukraine immediately.
“As we said before, we are in a window where an invasion (of Ukraine) could start at any time, and to be clear, that includes during the Olympics,” Blinken said.
The United States and its allies have new intelligence that suggests Russia could launch an attack on Ukraine even before the end of the Olympics, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CNN.
Ahead of the start of the Olympics earlier this month, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman suggested that the China-hosted Winter Games could affect Russian President Vladimir Putin's thinking about the timing of a possible invasion of Ukraine. .
Putin traveled to Beijing for the start of the Olympic Games and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The two launched a wide pact with no limits for their cooperation.
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New Satellite Images Show Continued Russian Military Buildup On Ukraine's Three Flanks
Blinken told reporters at the joint news conference on Friday that the United States was "continuing to withdraw our embassy" in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev and "will continue with that process."
"And we've also been very clear that any US citizens remaining in Ukraine must now leave," he added.
In Washington, the White House convened a meeting with several cabinet members and top national security officials in the Situation Room on Thursday night to discuss Russia's ongoing military buildup near Ukraine, two officials familiar with the matter told CNN. The issue.
There have been several Situation Room meetings in recent weeks and months to discuss the brewing crisis, one of the sources said, but the meetings have become more urgent in recent days as Russia has continued to move forces , weapons and logistical equipment to the area and greater preparation of the troops.
Last month, the State Department authorized the departure of non-emergency personnel from the US Embassy in Kyiv and ordered family members to leave the country, and on Thursday issued a new travel advisory for citizens Americans in Ukraine to "get out now by commercial or private means.
Although Friday's Quad discussions focused mainly on issues related to the Indo-Pacific region, Russia's aggression towards Ukraine was discussed among the four foreign ministers.
The top US diplomat has repeatedly pointed out that the crisis runs deeper than the physical threat Russia poses to Ukraine and could undermine the rules-based international order that the Quad countries have pledged to uphold.
Anthony Blinken