US prepares 8500 troops for Ukraine

White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters the United States "has never ruled out" the option of providing assistance to eastern flank countries "in advance of any invasion" of Ukraine by Russia.

President Joe Biden met his national security team at his Camp David retreat on Saturday and was briefed on options for deploying more US troops to NATO allies in eastern Europe in response to Russia's military build-up along Ukraine's border.

Biden was due to hold a secure video call with a number of European leaders later on Monday from the White House Situation Room to discuss the Ukraine crisis. 

with Reuters