Biden “convinced” Putin decided to invade Ukraine

Biden said a Russian attack could take place “in the coming days.” He also accuses Russia of creating a “false justification” for waging war against Ukraine. But the US president stresses that it is not too late to reach a diplomatic solution.

I am convinced that he (President Putin) made the decision. We have reasons to believe so. “We believe they will attack Kiev, a city of 2.8 million innocent people,” Biden said on Friday.

Biden accuses Moscow of launching a disinformation campaign, including by accusing Kiev of planning an attack on Russia in order to create a pretext for invading its neighbor.

“There is simply no evidence to support these allegations and it is not at all reasonable to think that Ukraine would do so in a protracted conflict at a time when 150,000 Russian soldiers are massed on its border,” Biden said.

“All of these events are in line with a scenario that Russia has also used in the past, which is to create a false justification for action against Ukraine,” the US president said. “If Russia implements its plans, it will be responsible for a catastrophic and futile war.”

“It is not too late,” Biden emphasized despite the increasingly tense situation. The US president confirmed that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will meet with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Europe on Thursday, hoping to defuse the situation.

Biden warned that if Russia invaded Ukraine by then, “it would close the door to diplomacy.”

Finally, Biden also questioned whether it would be wise for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to leave his country for the time being to attend an international conference. “This may not be the wisest choice in pursuit of a diplomatic outcome, but it is up to him to make that decision,” Biden said.