US says Putin will be making a ‘serious mistake’ if he invades

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken was warned Russian President Vladimir Putin he would be making a ‘serious mistake’ if he invaded Ukraine and Kamala Harris said the ‘eyes of the world’ are on the Belarus border as the Biden administration waded into the chaos in eastern Europe. 

The vice president said Friday the U.S. is ‘very concerned’ about Russian military movements amid a tense immigration crisis in Belarus that has the potential to spill over into other countries in Europe.

And President Joe Biden issued his own expression of concern as he left the White House for Camp David on Friday.

‘It’s of great concern. We’ve communicated our concern to Russia. We’ve communicated our concern to Belarus. We think it’s a problem,’ he said in response to a shouted question from a reporter.

Harris spoke about the situation at a press conference in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron – after Russia conducted bombing exercises with Belarusian forces and built up troops along its border with Ukraine – prompting the U.S. to assert its ‘ironclad’ commitment to Ukrainian security.

‘On the issue of Belarus and what is happening at the border with Poland, we are very concerned about that and closely paying attention to it,’ she said.

She also gave a warning to President Alexander Lukashenko’s government. 

‘The Lukashenko regime, I believe is engaged in very troubling activity. It is something that I discussed with President Macron, and the eyes of the world and its leaders are watching what is happening there,’ she said. 

Amid the chaos on Europe’s doorstep, the White House last night warned Brussels to brace for a Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine.

The CIA briefed European officials about a possible Russian assault to capture territory in eastern Ukraine similar to the 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula. 

The EU said it is alarmed by Russian military activities close to Ukraine, is watching the situation closely and ‘looking at further steps’ along with the United States and Britain.

The situation escalated on Friday with developments including: 

•  The EU said it is alarmed by Russian military activities close to Ukraine, is watching the situation closely and ‘looking at further steps’ along with the United States and Britain
•  Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia is waging ‘hybrid warfare’ on Europe using migrants 
•  US and European delegations accused Minsk of endangering lives for political ends at UN Security Council
•  Former UK defense minister Tobias Ellwood called Russia’s moves ‘deeply concerning’ and a ‘test of resolve’
• Turkey barred citizens from Iraq, Syrian and Yemen from flying to Belarus amid fears they will head to border 

‘Very troubling’: Vice President Kamala Harris said the U.S. is ‘very concerned’ about the situation in Belarus amid a Russian troop buildup on the Ukrainian border

Fears are growing of an imminent conflict in eastern Europe as Russia and Belarus carry out snap…