Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said that continuing diplomatic efforts will guarantee that Russian President Vladimir Putin can’t blame the indifference of the West if he orders his forces to invade Ukraine. | Alex Wong/Getty Images
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Sunday the Biden administration is continuing a “full-court press” to find a diplomatic solution to the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
Speaking on “Fox News Sunday,” Kirby said that continuing diplomatic efforts by the U.S. and its NATO allies to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin will guarantee that Putin can’t blame the indifference of the West if he orders his forces to invade Ukraine.
“They won’t have an excuse that merits any sort of credibility,” Kirby told host Bill Hemmer, indicating that Putin would have to shoulder the blame for all casualties incurred from an invasion.
On Friday, President Joe Biden said he believed that Putin has already decided to go ahead with an invasion of Ukraine, a position supported by Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday. But Kirby said the situation is fluid because it is unclear what exactly Putin is planning or when.