Countries across Europe readjusted their security posture as the United States stepped up its warnings about the possibility of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. US officials have said intelligence shows Russia may be planning to attack Ukraine before the Olympics are over.

On Friday, more Western nations called on their citizens to leave Ukraine as US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said a Russian invasion of Ukraine could begin any day and would likely start with an air assault.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said during a regular briefing, “We recognize that if President Putin made the decision to invade, it would make it difficult for American citizens on the ground,” she added, “We want to clarify the risk that is posed to them, to any civilian if they remain in the country.”

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke with US President Joe Biden, Canadian President Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron and reaffirmed the need for strong and swift sanctions in the event of an invasion of Ukraine.

“The allies are determined to jointly take prompt and deep sanctions against Russia, in the event of further violations of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine,” the German government spokesman said on Twitter. “All diplomatic efforts are aimed at persuading Moscow to defuse. The goal is to prevent a war in Europe.”

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he feared for Europe’s security during a virtual meeting with the leaders of the United States, Italy, Poland, Romania, France, Germany, the European Council, the European Commission and NATO, his office said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said sanctions in the event of an invasion would target Russia’s financial and energy sectors.

What is happening on the eastern flank of Europe?

Denmark, the United Kingdom, Latvia and Lithuania have joined Norway, the Netherlands and the United States in asking their citizens to leave Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukraine said Russia had lifted maritime restrictions around the Sea of ​​Azov.

Russia had said the country’s naval exercises in the Sea of ​​Azov, the waterway along the disputed Crimean peninsula that Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, would disrupt maritime traffic.

Ukrainian officials have criticized Russia’s planned naval drills and said they are part of Russia’s hybrid war against Ukraine. Russia is also conducting exercises in Belarus, on Ukraine’s northern border.

Both raised the dismay of US and NATO forces.

What happened in Europe to adjust the continent’s security posture?

The U.S. military on Friday announced plans to reposition a squadron of F-16 fighter jets to Romania from Germany “to bolster regional security.” The planes will be stationed at the Fetesti air base less than 100 kilometers from the Black Sea, joining the Italian combat aircraft already present.

The United States is also sending 3,000 additional troops to Poland to bolster NATO forces stationed there, Reuters news agency reported.

Germany is sending six advanced artillery systems to Lithuania on Monday to reinforce NATO’s German-led Enhanced Forward Presence Battalion. Earlier this week, Germany announced it was bolstering its presence in the Baltic state with 350 additional troops.

Finland, a non-NATO state that works closely with the alliance, has agreed a deal for 64 anti-radar Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter jets.

What else happened in Ukraine?

Ukraine has imposed sanctions on Nash TV, a channel that Ukraine’s national security adviser Oleksiy Danilov says is owned by politician Yevhen Murayev’s father.

Last month, the UK said Murayev was one of the Kremlin’s candidates to lead a Moscow-backed puppet government in Kiev in the event of another military offensive against Ukraine. Murayvev mocked the British claim as “stupid” and the Kremlin dismissed it as misinformation.

ar/sms (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)