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The White House issued a statement on Saturday that President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a video call on Tuesday. The meeting comes as US intelligence is warning of a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine as soon as January. The press secretary of White House, Jen Psaki issued a statement and said, “The leaders will discuss a range of topics in the US-Russia relationship, including strategic stability, cyber, and regional issues. President Biden will underscore US concerns with Russian military activities on the border with Ukraine and reaffirm the United States’ support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine”. Point to be noted that tens of thousands of Russian troops have amassed at the Ukraine border, months after thousands of troops assembled at the border in the spring.

The US intelligence officials have warned this one could be in preparation for an actual incursion into the Donbas region of Eastern Ukraine. However, Russia has denied any buildup and alleged Ukraine of its own troop buildup. On Friday, President Biden said he has been aware of Russia’s actions for a long time. Last week, Putin said he had new red lines, so Washington and its allies must not deploy missiles in Ukraine capable of hitting Moscow. Biden also said that he doesn’t accept anyone’s red lines. Psaki repeated Biden’s earlier remarks that he is putting together a comprehensive and meaningful set of initiatives for European leaders. She said the US is exploring a range of options. Psaki said, “We know what President Putin has done in the past

Psaki added, “We see that he is putting in place the capacity to take action in short order, and should he decide to invade, that is why we want to be prepared and, in an area where we have expressed serious concern about. So, what he means by a group of- a package is there’s a range of tools at our disposal. Of course, economic sanctions are an option”. It is noteworthy that a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine could involve as many as 175,000 troops. The plans involve extensive movement of 100 battalion tactical groups with an estimated 175,000 personnel, along with armor, artillery, and equipment. At least 70,000 Russian troops are currently deployed opposite Ukraine, while they lack the support units needed to launch an invasion.