In the immediate aftermath of the diplomatic tensions over Ukraine, President Biden has set the alarm bells ringing, so to speak, with Friday’s message to American citizens in Ukraine to “leave now” as Vladimir Putin’s Russia continues to threaten an invasion despite consistent denials.

“American citizens should leave now,”. Asked what scenario would provoke him to send troops to Ukraine, the American President replied, “It’s not like we are dealing with a terrorist organisation. We are dealing with one of the largest armies in the world. It’s a very different situation, and things could go crazy quickly.”

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Separately on Thursday, the State Department issued an advisory warning that the country “will not be able to evacuate US citizens in the event of Russian military action anywhere in Ukraine.” It warned that regular consulate services ~ including aiding citizens trying to leave the country ~ would be “severely impacted.” According to a US military and intelligence assessment, the Russian military could launch a full-scale invasion, with tanks that potentially could reach Kiev, the capital, within 48 hours.

President Biden argued that if President Putin is “foolish enough to go in, he’s smart enough not to, in fact, do anything that would negatively impact on American citizens.” A senior administration official said on Friday that Mr Biden would host a virtual meeting on Ukraine with the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, the European Union, Nato, Italy, Romania and Poland. The White House said the leaders would “discuss our shared concerns about Russia’s continued build-up of military forces around Ukraine and continued coordination on both diplomacy and deterrence.”

Commercial satellite images published by a US company showed new Russian military deployments at several locations near Ukraine. “We’re in a window as to when an invasion could begin at any time, and to be clear that includes during the Olympics.” The Beijing games end on 20 February. Russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine, and this week it launched joint military exercises in neighbouring Belarus and naval drills in the Black Sea. While Moscow has consistently denied plans to invade Ukraine, it has said it could take unspecified “military-technical action” unless a series of demands are met, including promises from Nato never to admit Ukraine and to withdraw forces from eastern Europe.

The West has binned these demands as non-starters. Both sides have ratcheted up the pressure as President Biden has advanced the starkest warning yet to Americans in Ukraine to get out now. That warning has been couched in the caveat that he will not send troops to rescue US citizens in the event of a Russian assault. Suffice it to register that war-drums are resonating as seldom in recent weeks, and America has told its citizens it is time to leave Ukraine.