US President Joe Biden has urged American citizens to leave Ukraine immediately as he hinted at a major conflict with Russia.
"American citizens should leave now," the President said in an interview with NBC News, according to news agency AFP.
"We are dealing with one of the largest armies in the world. It's a very different situation and things could go crazy quickly," he added.
Notably, the White House has expressed increasing alarm about the prospects of war, and Biden has been looking to solidify support among European allies for economy-jarring sanctions against Russia if it attacks.
“If Russia invades, that means tanks and troops crossing the border of Ukraine again, then there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2,” Biden had said earlier this week. “We will bring an end to it.”
That would hurt Russia economically, he had said, adding that Germany could also face supply problems.
“We are jointly ready, and all of NATO is ready,” Biden had said, referring to the powerful Western alliance, though Ukraine is not a member.
Since November, Ukraine and some Western countries have accused Russia of assembling heavy troops near the Ukrainian border with a possible intention of "invasion".
Russia denied the accusation, saying that it has the right to mobilise troops within its borders to defend its territory as the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's (NATO) activities constitute a threat to Russia's border security.
READ MORE: Why does Putin worry when Ukraine not joining NATO? | EXPLAINED
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