U.S. challenges Russia to make unequivocal statement against invading Ukraine

Blinken laid out in detail how Russia could fabricate an excuse for invading its neighbour

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken challenged Russia on Thursday to make an unequivocal statement that it would not invade Ukraine and to back it up by pulling back troops.

At a UN Security Council meeting on the Ukraine crisis, the top U.S. diplomat laid out in detail how Russia could fabricate an excuse for invading its neighbour.

If it seeks peace, "the Russian government can announce today with no qualification of equivocation or deflection, that Russia will not invade Ukraine, stated plainly to the world," Mr. Blinken said.

"And then demonstrate it by sending your troops, your tanks, your planes, back to their barracks," Mr. Blinken added.

At the meeting, called to discuss the showdown over Ukraine, Mr. Blinken said he had invited Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to meet in Europe for talks next week, even as U.S. officials say a Russian invasion could take place within days.

Citing U.S. intelligence, Mr. Blinken laid out a scenario in which he said Moscow could "manufacture" a pretext to invade, would then bomb Ukraine, launch cyberattacks to shut down its institutions, and send tanks and soldiers in to occupy the country.

"Conventional attacks are not all that Russia plans to inflict upon the people of Ukraine. We have information that indicates Russia will target specific groups of Ukrainians," Mr. Blinken said, without providing details.