U.S. warns Europe that Russia may plan Ukraine invasion - Bloomberg

The United States has warned its allies in the European Union that Russia may consider a potential invasion of Ukraine, given rising tensions over migrants on the Belarusian-Polish border and energy supplies, according to Bloomberg.

With Washington closely monitoring a buildup of Russian forces near the Ukrainian border, U.S. officials have briefed EU counterparts on their concerns over a possible military operation, Bloomberg said, referring to multiple people familiar with the matter.

"The U.S. warning over Ukraine comes on top of the more recent standoff between Poland and Belarus, a close Russian ally. And it is playing out amid uncertainty over increased Russian gas supplies to Europe despite Putin's pledge to ramp up deliveries from this week to ease an energy crunch. He's pushing for European regulators to give swift approval to operate the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, a project the U.S. and Ukraine opposed as a security risk," the report reads.

On November 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized Ukraine's alleged use of combat drones in violation of a previous agreement and American military activity in the Black Sea.

With the West preparing fresh sanctions against Belarus over what it sees as a manufactured migration crisis, President Alexander Lukashenko threatened on Thursday to shut down a key pipeline carrying Russian gas to the EU if Poland closes their border.

Russia says military deployments on its territory are an internal matter and it denies any aggressive intentions, while accusing the U.S. of provocation by sailing warships in the Black Sea close to its territory this week.

On Wednesday, November 10, after the signing of the U.S.-Ukraine Charter on Strategic Partnership, Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed concern over unusual Russian military activity near Ukraine's border.

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