Russia announces large scale naval drills off Ukraine's coast | DW News

Across Europe, countries readjusted their security posture as the US stepped up its warnings about the potential for a Russian invasion of Ukraine. US officials said intelligence shows Russia could be planning to attack Ukraine before the end of the Olympics. As tensions spiked on Friday, Washington announced that President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will speak on the phone on Saturday. Talks between Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron are also announced.

On Friday, more Western nations called for their citizens to leave Ukraine as US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said a Russian invasion of Ukraine could start any day and would likely begin with an air assault. White House press secretary Jen Psaki told a regular briefing, "We recognize that were President Putin to make the decision to invade, it would make it difficult for American citizens on the ground," she added, "We want to make clear of the risk 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.

Estonia, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Latvia and Lithuania joined Norway, the Netherlands and the US in calling for their citizens to leave Ukraine. The European Union mission to Ukraine also advised non-essential staff to leave the country. Meanwhile, Ukraine said Russia withdrew maritime restrictions around the Sea of Azov. Russia had said the country's naval drills in the Sea of Azov, the waterway beside the disputed Crimean Peninsula which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, would disrupt maritime traffic.

Officials in Ukraine had criticized Russia's planned naval exercises and said it is part of Russia's hybrid war against Ukraine. Russia is also conducting drills in Belarus on Ukraine's northern border. Both have raised the consternation of US and NATO forces.