Natasha Bertrand

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

Interesting comments here by Ukraine’s Ambassador to the UK who suggests Ukraine “might” be willing to drop its NATO bid given how it is being “pushed” and “blackmailed”: — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

RT @MarquardtA: Zelensky asked Biden to visit Ukraine as soon as possible, a senior Ukr official tells @mchancecnn. That is extremely unlik… — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

RT @ChristopherJM: Canada pulls troops out of Ukraine: “As a result of the complex operational environment linked to Russia’s unwarranted a… — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

"At the American Embassy compound, local Ukrainian staff members carried dozens of plastic bags and loaded them into cars. Some carried out potted plants. All declined to answer questions. At one point, a gigantic stack of pizzas was delivered." https://t.co/AqQ30Jl9Lg — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

President Biden and Ukrainian President Zelensky will speak this morning at 10:45 eastern, a WH official confirms to CNN. Biden and Zelensky last spoke last month and had some disagreements over the "risk levels" of a Russian attack, a Ukrainian official told CNN at the time. — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

@HCTrudo So sorry for your loss Hanna. Thinking of you. — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

Continued: "As for the embassy, we are ready to complete the draw down of the U.S. Embassy should that become necessary. We have been drawing it down to a bare minimum in Kyiv so we are prepared in the event we need to move." — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

Continued: "It would then be followed by an onslaught of a ground force moving across the Ukrainian frontier. Again, where innocent civilians could get caught in the cross fire or get trapped in places they could not move from. So that is why we are being so clear and direct." — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

Sullivan on asking Americans to leave: A Russian invasion would "likely to begin with a significant barrage of missiles and bomb attacks. Those are never as precise as any army would like them to be, and we don't even know how precise the Russian army would like them to be." — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

Sullivan: "What we've seen in the last ten days or so is an acceleration of that buildup and the movement of Russian forces of all varieties closer to the border with Ukraine in a position where they could launch a military action very, very rapidly." — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

.@JakeSullivan46 to @jaketapper on Russia: "The way they have built up their forces, the way they have maneuvered things in place makes it a distinct possibility there will be major military action very soon," including "this week." — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

“We remain committed to keeping the prospect of de-escalation through diplomacy alive,” the official said. “But we're also clear eyed about the prospects of that, given the readily apparent steps Russia is taking on the ground in plain sight, right before our eyes." — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

Biden’s call w/Putin this a.m. was "substantive" but “there was no fundamental change in the dynamic that has been unfolding now for several weeks," per official "Russia may decide to proceed with military action anyway," official said. "Indeed, that is a distinct possibility." — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

WH readout of Biden-Putin call: "President Biden was clear with President Putin that while the United States remains prepared to engage in diplomacy, in full coordination with our Allies and partners, we are equally prepared for other scenarios." https://t.co/DvULbj1pnO — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

Dutch airline KLM will "immediately" stop flying to Ukraine, the airline announced. The KLM flight scheduled to land in Kyiv on Saturday evening has been cancelled, & KLM aircrafts will no longer fly through Ukraine's airspace until further notice. — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

President Biden’s secure call with Russian President Putin was completed at 12:06 EST, per pool. — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

Biden and Putin are speaking now, per pool. Call began at 11:04 am eastern. — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

British troops helping Ukrainians with training on anti-tank missiles will also leave the country this weekend, the armed forces minister James Heappey said, alongside about 100 helping with wider troop training as part of Operation Orbital. https://t.co/9Ogy6yTM6o — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

DoD press sec John Kirby: “Secretary Austin has ordered the temporary repositioning of the 160 members of the Florida National Guard who have been deployed to Ukraine since late November….they will reposition elsewhere in Europe.” Decision made “out of an abundance of caution.” — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

RT @USEmbassyKyiv: Despite the reduction in diplomatic staff, the core embassy team, our dedicated Ukrainian colleagues, and @StateDept and… — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

New this morning: The United States has ordered the evacuation of most of its embassy staff in Kyiv as fears mount that a Russian invasion of the country could take place in the next few days. https://t.co/yIwxV0muOM — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

RT @ChristopherJM: NEW: US State Department is calling US citizens here in Ukraine and telling them they should leave the country immediate… — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

NEW: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered 3,000 more soldiers from the 82nd Airborne to deploy to Poland. The troops will leave in the next couple of days, joining some 1,700 members of the unit already there. via @OrenCNN @barbarastarrcnn — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

"Any American in Ukraine should leave as soon as possible, and in any event in the next 24 to 48 hours," Sullivan said. "We obviously cannot predict the future...but the risk is now high enough and the threat is now immediate enough that this is what prudence demands." — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

A Russian attack "could take a range of different forms," Sullivan says. "One of those forms is a rapid assault on the city of Kyiv. That is a possible line of attack...They could also choose to move in other parts of Ukraine as well." — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

Story on evacs: https://t.co/LvJJgJoYc6 And on new intel: https://t.co/BWOaxNtC3T — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

"We are not saying a final decision has been made by President Putin," Sullivan says. But "we are in an urgent situation." "Russia has all the forces it needs to conduct a major military action," he says, "in very short order." — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

Sullivan says an invasion would likely begin with aerial bombing and missile attacks, followed by a ground invasion. Reiterates to Americans that it is time to leave now, while commercial options exist and roads are open. US military will not be sent in for rescues, he says. — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

NSA Jake Sullivan declines to comment on US intelligence with regard to Russian invasion, but says "it could begin during the Olympics despite speculation that it would only happen after the Olympics." — PolitiTweet.org

Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand

NEW confirming @KyivPost: The US is planning to pull its observers from the OSCE mission in Ukraine, sources say. The Biden admin is also discussing the possibility of further reducing the number of staff at the US Embassy in Kyiv, moving either out of country or further west. — PolitiTweet.org