The latest on the Ukraine-Russia border crisis

By Tara John, Lauren Said-Moorhouse, Aditi Sangal, Maureen Chowdhury, Melissa Macaya and Mike Hayes, CNN

Updated 7:09 AM ET, Tue February 15, 2022
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7:58 p.m. ET, February 14, 2022

US still holds out hope for a diplomatic solution in Ukraine crisis

Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaking at a press briefing in the White House Press Briefing Room on February 14.
Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaking at a press briefing in the White House Press Briefing Room on February 14. (Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA)

US officials say that they are still holding out hope that diplomacy will prevail amid a potential threat of military action by Russia in Ukraine.

Hope for diplomacy: The US continues to seek a diplomatic solution to defuse the crisis along Ukraine's borders, the White House said Monday, but called the continued buildup of Russian troops along Ukraine's border a hindrance to de-escalation.

"We are actively working to reach a diplomatic solution to deescalate the crisis," deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, responding to a question about Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's comments that the window for diplomacy hasn't closed.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin is "willing to negotiate," adding the Ukraine crisis was only one part of Russia's larger security concerns.

“First of all, President Putin has always been demanding negotiations and diplomacy," Peskov told CNN's Frederik Pleitgen late Monday. "And actually, he initiated the issue of guarantees of security for the Russian Federation. And Ukraine is just a part of the problem, it’s a part of the bigger problem of security guarantees for Russia and of course President Putin is willing to negotiate," he said."

Preparing for "military action": While diplomatic lines remain open, the State Department made the decision move remaining diplomats from Kyiv to western Ukraine, because the department felt it was “absolutely necessary” due to the “distinct possibility, perhaps more real than ever before, that Russia may decide to proceed with military action,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Monday.

During a Pentagon briefing, press secretary John Kirby said Russian President Vladimir Putin “continues to add to” his “menu of options” with the type of capabilities he has added from the Russian military by land, sea and air.

"I would just say this, that he continues to advance his readiness should he choose to go down a military path here, should he choose to invade again, he is doing all of the things that you would expect him to do to make sure that he's ready for that option, or options," Kirby said.

Wall Street impact: The Dow fell 172 points — or 0.5% — on Monday as Wall Street struggled to interpret the financial impact of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

As the United States announced the closing of the US embassy in Kyiv, US stocks dropped.

On the ground in Ukraine: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged that the Russian military buildup near the Ukrainian border represents an “unprecedented challenge for Europe and globally.” 

“The escalation at the Ukranian-Russian border is an unprecedented challenge for Europe and globally,” Zelensky said, speaking alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. “That's why it is very important that our partners support our country economically, in the area of defense.”

“I always reiterated that without Ukraine it is impossible to shape the security in Europe,” he went on to say. “The security of Ukraine is the security of Europe and only together can we find some ways of how to defend and protect our children,” he added.
6:19 p.m. ET, February 14, 2022

Dow drops as the US announces Kyiv embassy closure

From CNN’s David Goldman

A woman passes by the closed US embassy in Kyiv after operations were moved to Lviv, on February 14.
A woman passes by the closed US embassy in Kyiv after operations were moved to Lviv, on February 14. (Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images)

The Dow fell 172 points — or 0.5% — on Monday as Wall Street struggled to interpret the financial impact of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

As the United States announced the closing of the US embassy in Kyiv, US stocks dropped.

On Monday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that "due to the dramatic acceleration in the buildup of Russian forces," the small number of remaining diplomatic personnel are "temporarily relocating" to Lviv, a city in the west of the country.

Fearing an inevitable war in Eastern Europe, investors are concerned that a prolonged conflict between Russia and Ukraine could damage the global economy.

Russia remains one of the world's leading energy exporters, and a war could cut off the supply of its natural gas and oil to other countries that depend on it. Such a development could send prices surging at a time when much of the world is already coping with sky-high inflation.

CNN's Jim Sciutto explains why the US felt a "sense of urgency" to close its embassy in Ukraine:

3:57 a.m. ET, February 15, 2022

Kremlin spokesperson says Putin is "willing to negotiate"

From CNN's Frederik Pleitgen in Moscow

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov  (Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP/Getty Images/)

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin is "willing to negotiate," adding the Ukraine crisis was only one part of Russia's larger security concerns.

“First of all, President Putin has always been demanding negotiations and diplomacy," Peskov told CNN's Frederik Pleitgen late Monday. "And actually, he initiated the issue of guarantees of security for the Russian Federation. And Ukraine is just a part of the problem, it’s a part of the bigger problem of security guarantees for Russia and of course President Putin is willing to negotiate," he said."

Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Putin he saw a "chance" for diplomatic dialogue with the West over Russia's security concerns, saying he recommended such efforts continue. 

4:57 p.m. ET, February 14, 2022

White House says door for diplomacy with Russia remains open, but troop buildup is continuing

From CNN's Kevin Liptak

The US continues to seek a diplomatic solution to defuse the crisis along Ukraine's borders, the White House said Monday, but called the continued buildup of Russian troops along Ukraine's border a hindrance to de-escalation.

"We are actively working to reach a diplomatic solution to deescalate the crisis," deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, responding to a question about Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's comments that the window for diplomacy hasn't closed.

"The path for diplomacy remains available if Russia chooses to engage constructively. However, we are clear eyed about the prospects of that given the steps Russia is taking on the ground in plain sight," she said. 

"We're seeing new Russian forces have been arriving at the Ukrainian border every day. As we have said before, we're in the window when an invasion could begin at any time," she said.

Her comments did not reflect a major change in position from Friday, when national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters a Russian attack on Ukraine could begin any time. 

Asked by CNN's Phil Mattingly whether the US would support a statement by Ukraine that it is no longer seeking NATO membership, Jean-Pierre reiterated NATO has an open door policy and said the decision to extend membership to Ukraine would be made by the collective alliance.

4:08 p.m. ET, February 14, 2022

Biden national security adviser is briefing Senate leaders now

From CNN's Manu Raju

Senate leaders on both sides of the aisle are now being briefed by White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan about the situation in Ukraine.

Top senators on key committees, along with Senate leaders Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell, are getting the briefing.

3:47 p.m. ET, February 14, 2022

Pentagon: Putin keeps adding to his "menu of options" with military buildup by land, sea and air

From CNN's Ellie Kaufman:

Russian President Vladimir Putin “continues to add to” his “menu of options” with the type of capabilities he has added from the Russian military by land, sea and air, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said during a briefing on Monday.

On land, Putin has “combined arms capability, so it’s infantry, it’s armor,” but he has also added “air and missile defense as well as offensive air,” Kirby said. 

Putin also has built up his maritime presence. He has added “at least half a dozen” ships in the Black Sea that are LSTs — or landing ships — which have “one purpose, and that’s to put troops ashore,” Kirby said.

“He’s got significant naval power inside the Black Sea,” Kirby said. 

Putin has also added “sustainment capability” so Russian troops can stay “in the field for longer periods of time,” Kirby said. 

“We have definitely seen in recent weeks, adding logistics and sustainment capability so that it’s pretty clear that if he wants to he’s going to ensure that he can keep these troops in the field for longer periods of time,” Kirby added.

3:07 p.m. ET, February 14, 2022

US still hasn't received a response from Russia, State Dept spokesperson says

From CNN's Jennifer Hansler

The United States has yet to receive a response from Russia to its written documents submitted weeks ago to Moscow, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Monday. 

“We've seen the comments from the Kremlin, from Moscow, indicating that their response, in their words, has been finalized. It's been I believe, over two weeks now, since we dispatched our non-deeper to Moscow. We've yet to see a response,” he said at a State Department briefing.

Price said the US would “carefully review” the response once it is received. 

“We are prepared to engage in diplomacy, we hope to engage in good faith, dialogue and diplomacy, but in order for it to be good faith, of course, that will require the Russians to respond in kind,” he said. “In order for this to bear fruit, it will also have to take place in the context of de-escalation. And that is just not something we've seen to date,” Price said.

 

3:03 p.m. ET, February 14, 2022

France won't respond militarily if Russia invades Ukraine, foreign minister says

From CNN’s Joseph Ataman and Pierre Bairin in Paris  

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said France does not have the "intention to respond militarily” to any Russian invasion on Ukraine, but he added that Paris is supporting Ukraine financially.  

Le Drian warned a war between Russia and Ukraine would be “disastrous for everyone, singularly disastrous for Russia first of all.”  

“If there’s a war in Ukraine, if Russia invades, Ukrainian gas, for example, won’t flow,” he told French channel France 5 Monday in a TV interview, adding, “the economic consequences will be extremely difficult to shoulder."

With “dissuasive measures sufficiently strong,” France is hoping for President Putin to “really reflect on the risks he is taking,” if Russia launched an offensive against Ukraine, he said.

Le Drian reiterated that any significant Russian act against Ukrainian sovereignty would invoke “massive consequences” and sanctions from France and other Ukrainian allies against Moscow.  

3:04 p.m. ET, February 14, 2022

State Department: Moving US diplomats "absolutely necessary" due to possibility of Russian military action

From CNN's Jennifer Hansler

The decision to move all remaining US diplomats from Kyiv to western Ukraine was made because the State Department felt it was “absolutely necessary” due to the “distinct possibility, perhaps more real than ever before, that Russia may decide to proceed with military action,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Monday.

“We are basing our assessment on what we are seeing on the ground with our own eyes, which is a continued and unprovoked Russian buildup on the border of Ukraine and no accompanying evidence of de-escalation,” he said at a briefing at the State Department.

“It is a distinct possibility, perhaps more real than ever before, that Russia may decide to proceed with military action, with new Russian forces continuing to arrive at the Ukrainian border, and Russian forces staged all around Ukraine and invasion, as we have said, could begin at any time,” he said.

Price said, “it remains unclear to us whether Russia is interested in pursuing a diplomatic path as opposed to the use of force.” He noted that if Russian President Vladimir Putin decides to invade Ukraine, “there would be widespread human suffering. 

Price said the staff relocated to Lviv will include the top diplomat – chargé d'affaires Kristina Kvien – and they “will remain engaged with Ukrainian government coordinating on diplomatic efforts.”