US 'ready' for Russia diplomacy and to 'defend' allies: Sullivan
Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops on the border with Ukraine as it demands guarantees that NATO will not expand the alliance eastward
The United States does not believe Russia has decided to invade Ukraine but is prepared no matter which path it takes, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Thursday.
"We're ready either way," Sullivan told reporters after a week of talks between the United States, its Western allies and Russia.
"We're ready to make progress at the negotiating table... and we're ready to take the necessary and proper steps to defend our allies, support our partners and respond robustly to any naked aggression that might occur."
Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops on the border with Ukraine as it demands guarantees that NATO will not expand the alliance eastward.
"The intelligence community has not made an assessment that the Russians have definitively decided to take a military course of action in Ukraine," he said.
"So as things stand right now, Russia has the opportunity to come to the table."
