President Joe Biden will convene the National Security Council on Sunday amid soaring international tensions over the expected Russian invasion of Ukraine, the White House announced.
The meeting will take place one day after Russian leader Vladimir Putin oversaw missile drills in an apparent display of military might as violence was reported in Ukraine regions under the control of pro-Moscow separatists.
“President Biden continues to monitor the evolving situation in Ukraine, and is being updated regularly about events on the ground by his national security team,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.
“They reaffirmed that Russia could launch an attack against Ukraine at any time.”
Psaki said that the president received an update on Saturday afternoon about Vice President Kamala Harris’ meetings at the Munich Security Conference, with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders.
In a speech in Munich, Harris promised “significant and unprecedented economic costs” for Russia if “further invades” Ukraine. Russia continues to deny it is planning to invade, despite amassing a reported 150,000 troops along the border with Ukraine.
Zelenskyy tweeted Saturday that he had an “urgent conversation” with French President Emmanuel Macron where he reported “aggravation on the frontline” and the shelling that killed two Ukraine soldiers and others in the Donetsk region.
“Discussed the need and possible ways of immediate de-escalation & political-diplomatic settlement,” Zelenskyy wrote.