Biden: Military actions close door to diplomacy

US president Joe Biden said on Saturday that military actions before Lavrov-Blinken meeting would close the door to diplomacy.

Biden added that the US will not send troops to Ukraine, but we “continue to support the Ukrainian people,” According to Reuters reports.

According to Biden, the US has intelligence showing that President Vladimir Putin of Russia has made a final decision to reject diplomatic overtures and invade Ukraine, .

He stressed that this decision  would be a “catastrophic and needless war of choice” in Eastern Europe.

Biden also said the US believes Russian forces intend to attack Ukraine “in the coming week” or sooner, and that an attack will target the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

Russia has “two options: war and the suffering it will bring or diplomacy that will make the world safer,” he added.

Biden said America is ready to impose harsh sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine.

Russia has repeatedly denied accusations on its intentions to invade Ukraine or any other country, while reiterating its concerns about NATO’s activity in Eastern Europe.

E.M