US President Joe Biden held a meeting of the National Security Council on the situation around Ukraine. This was reported on the website of the White House.

"President Joe Biden called a meeting of the National Security Council today to discuss the latest developments in Russia's military buildup along Ukraine's borders," the White House said in a statement.

Earlier, Biden said that Western countries are ready to impose sanctions against Russia in the event of an escalation around Ukraine, which, however, can still opt for de-escalation.

“The West is united and full of determination. We are ready to impose severe sanctions against Russia if it invades Ukraine again. But, I'll say it again, Russia can still choose diplomacy. It is not too late to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table,” Biden said.

Prior to this, Biden said he did not believe that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin was "even remotely" considering the use of nuclear weapons. He also added that the United States has information that Russia will attack Ukraine and even Kiev in the coming weeks.

bbabo.Net