KIEV, Ukraine. — Ukrainian leaders are now demanding an urgent meeting with Russia over the build-up of troops on its borders.
An official says Russia ignored a formal request to explain why it increased the number to 130,000 soldiers, surrounding Ukraine on three sides. The chancellor of Germany is in Ukraine today to meet with the president. He’ll then do the same in Russia in hopes of preventing an invasion.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby says tension between Russia and Ukraine is reaching a “crescendo.”
“He (Russian President Vladimir Putin) continues to add force capability well over 100,000 right now and in the last few days even more,” Kirby said on Fox News. “We have good sources of intelligence and they are telling us that things are sort of building now to some sort of crescendo opportunity of Mr. Putin.”
While Kirby couldn’t confirm German reports that an invasion was set for Wednesday, he did say that a major military action could happen “any day now.” He also called on Americans still in Ukraine to evacuate while roads and airports were open.
The U.S. already ordered all non-emergency embassy staff to leave and everyone else will be evacuated by tomorrow. More than a dozen nations have also told their citizens to leave immediately.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) says it’s time for Democrats and Republicans to stand united against Russian aggression.
“I’m on Team America, Team Ukraine,” he said on CBS’s Face The Nation. “There are some nuances I would have done differently than the Biden administration, but now’s the time, I think, to stand unified.”
Kinzinger also expressed concern for the small, but growing number of Trump-aligned Republicans with “affection” for Putin. Kinzinger said anyone in that camp has no understanding of what the Republican Party and the U.S. stands for.
