Russia could invade Ukraine 'any day now,' national security adviser says

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Fox News Sunday that he believes Russia is prepared to invade Ukraine.
"We are in the window," Sullivan said in response to a question from host Martha MacCallum. "Any day now, Russia could take military action against Ukraine or it could be a couple of weeks from now, or Russia could choose to take the diplomatic path instead."
President Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last month that there was a "distinct possibility" Russia could invade in February. Russian tanks and other heavy equipment will be able to move more easily over frozen ground, so some believe that if Russian President Vladimir Putin is going to order an invasion, he will do so before the spring thaw.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"If war breaks out," Sullivan added, "it will come at an enormous human cost to Ukraine, but we believe ... it will come at a strategic cost to Russia as well."
The Biden administration warned lawmakers last week that Ukraine could suffer 50,000 civilian casualties if Russia invades and that the capital city of Kyiv could fall to the Russians within 72 hours.
Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia's deputy ambassador to the United Nations, dismissed this assessment as "madness" and "scaremongering."
Sullivan also discussed potential sanctions against Russia, which he said would include refusing to allow the Nord Stream 2 pipeline — which will transport Russian natural gas from Russia to Germany — to move forward. He said the U.S. is taking "steps to ensure that Russia's attempts to use energy as a weapon get frustrated," including "find[ing] cargoes of liquefied natural gas going elsewhere in the world and redirect[ing] them to Europe."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Biden administration announced a version of this plan last month.
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Russia: already at war with Europe?
Talking Point As Kremlin begins ‘cranking up attacks’ on Ukraine’s European allies, questions about future action remain unanswered
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies