Sunday shows – Ukraine crisis dominates

Heightened concerns of a Russian invasion of Ukraine dominated the Sunday morning political interview shows.

Top Biden administration officials discussed the latest developments, including the extension of joint military drills in the region between Russia and Belarus.

Read The Hill’s complete coverage below.

Pentagon chief: ‘You could see a significant amount of combat power move very quickly to take Kyiv’ By MYCHAEL SCHNELL    Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sunday said Ukraine may witness “a significant amount of combat power move very quickly to take Kyiv” if Russia invades Ukraine. Austin, during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” said the international community should “look at what’s on the other side of the Ukrainian border” to discern the type of force Russia would use in the event of a military incursion against Ukraine. Read the full story here

Austin on potential Russian invasion into Ukraine: ‘I don’t believe it’s a bluff’ By CAROLINE VAKIL   Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he doesn’t think Russian President Vladimir Putin is bluffing. Read the full story here

Russia has ‘diplomatic options left on the table,’ Kirby says By JOSEPH CHOI   Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby on Sunday said that Russia still has “diplomatic options left on the table” amid heightened fears that Moscow will invade Ukraine. Read the full story here

Blinken: Putin is ‘moving forward’ with plan to invade Ukraine By JOSEPH CHOI   U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is moving forward with plans of invading Ukraine, echoing President Biden’s warnings last week. Read the full story here

Blinken: Extended military exercises with Russia, Belarus raise concerns of Russian invasion By MYCHAEL SCHNELL   Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday said an extension of joint military exercises between Russia and Belarus is making him more concerned that Russia will move ahead with an invasion of Ukraine. Read the full story here

Blinken defends not placing more sanctions on Russia ahead of possible Ukraine invasion By MYCHAEL SCHNELL    Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday defended the Biden’s administration’s decision not to place more sanctions on Russia ahead of a possible incursion by Moscow against Ukraine. Read the full story here

US ambassador says it would be ‘disastrous’ for Russia to invade Ukraine By MYCHAEL SCHNELL   Acting U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Kristina Kvien on Sunday said a Russian invasion of Ukraine would be “disastrous,” pointing to potential casualties on both sides and “devastating sanctions” on Moscow. Read the full story here

NATO chief: ‘Russia is preparing for an invasion of Ukraine’ By MYCHAEL SCHNELL   NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Sunday said “Russia is preparing for an invasion of Ukraine,” pointing to Moscow’s troop buildup on the Ukrainian border and the continuation of military exercises in the region. Read the full story here

Cruz: ‘Joe Biden becoming president is the best thing that ever happened, tragically, for Vladimir Putin’ By JOSEPH CHOI   Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) blasted President Biden on Sunday for what he described as his enabling of Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine, saying Biden’s presidency was the “best thing” that had happened for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Read the full story here

John Bolton: Putin has ‘incentive’ to drag out Ukraine crisis By BRAD DRESS   Former national security adviser John Bolton said Russian President Vladimir Putin could be dragging out the Ukraine crisis in a campaign of “classic brinkmanship” and warned the European leader could win control of the country without sparking a large-scale conflict or invasion. Read the full story here