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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Lois Beckett (now) and Joan E Greve (earlier)

White House confirms Biden-Putin call on Saturday – as it happened

United States Ukraine Joe Biden Vladimir Putin White House Jake Sullivan Russia Afghanistan Olympics (Event) Taliban

Evening summary

We’re wrapping up our live politics coverage from today, as warnings of a Russian invasion of Ukraine dominate the news.

Here’s a summary of today’s key events, from my colleague Joan Greve and me.

  • The US warned of the “very distinct possibility” of a Russian invasion of Ukraine in the next few days, saying an attack could occur during the Beijing Olympics. “I will not comment on the details of our intelligence information,” the US national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said at today’s White House briefing. “But I do want to be clear, it could begin during the Olympics, despite a lot of speculation that it would only happen after the Olympics. As we’ve said before, we are ready either way.”
  • The White House urged all Americans still in Ukraine to leave in the next 24 to 48 hours. “We obviously cannot predict the future. We don’t know exactly what is going to happen,” Sullivan said. “But the risk is now high enough and the threat is now immediate enough that this is what prudence demands. If you stay, you are assuming risks with no guarantee that there will be any other opportunity to leave.” Sullivan warned a Russian attack on Ukraine may include aerial bombing that would endanger civilian lives.
  • Joe Biden told allied leaders in a private call today that Vladimir Putin has made the decision to move forward with an invasion, according to diplomatic sources. But Sullivan said US intelligence does not currently indicate that Putin has made a final call about launching an invasion.
  • Biden and Putin will have a phone call tomorrow to discuss the Ukraine crisis, the White House confirmed. The US president has already arrived at Camp David for the weekend, and he is expected to continue receiving updates from intelligence officials about the situation in Ukraine.
  • Biden signed an executive order to allocate $7bn in funds to humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan and American families impacted by terrorism. The executive order involves the US-held funds of Afghanistan’s central bank, which were frozen after the Taliban takeover of the country. Biden allocated $3.5bn of those funds for humanitarian projects in Afghanistan, which is facing widespread starvation due to the country’s economic collapse, and another $3.5bn for American families affected by Taliban terrorism. Some of those families lost loved ones in the September 11 attacks and have filed lawsuits against the Taliban.
  • A Canadian judge ordered an end to a five-day blockade of a bridge at the US-Canada border by anti-vaccine mandate protesters. The court order could mean that law enforcement officers will be sent in to forcibly remove the demonstrators, though it was not immediately clear when or if that might happen. US homeland security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, had asked their Canadian counterparts to use their federal powers to address the bridge blockade.

State senator: VA governor congratulated wrong Black lawmaker on her Black History month speech

A Black state senator from Virginia tweeted that newly elected Republican governor Glenn Youngkin confused her with another Black female senator in a text message about Black History month.

Louise Lucas, a Democrat, has made headlines in recent weeks as a “social media star” for repeatedly using her Twitter account to jab at the state’s new Republican governor, who attempted to ban the teaching of “critical race theory” in public schools on the first day of his administration, and recently faced backlash after his aides attacked a high school student by name on Twitter.

Lucas,78, has served in the state senate for the past 30 years.

A spokesman for Youngkin did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Lucas’ tweet.

Updated

White House confirms Biden with speak with Putin on Saturday morning

The White House has confirmed reports that the president will have a call with Vladimir Putin on Saturday morning, as US officials have publicly warned of a “very distinct possibility” that Russia will invade Ukraine in the coming days.

‘What would your mother say?’ New Zealand urges citizens to wind back online rage

Faced with a rising tide of acrimony, rage, and online crankiness, New Zealand has launched a nationwide campaign to try to calm its citizenry down, my colleague Tess McClure reports.

Over the summer, pastel posters began cropping up around the cities, asking New Zealanders to “dial it down a notch,” “read it before you hit enter,” and “comment with dignity”. Cartoon characters entreat keyboard warriors to take a breath, and consider “what would your mother say?”

Read more on the New Zealand approach to online rage here:

Justice Department shares details of boogaloo murder guilty plea

A former US air force staff sergeant and alleged member of the “boogaloo” extremist movement pleaded guilty Friday in the fatal shooting of a federal security officer in the San Francisco Bay Area amid large 2020 protests against police brutality, the Associated Press reported.

The justice department said in a press release that Carrillo had admitted that he aligned himself with an anti-government movement and wanted to carry out violent acts against federal law enforcement officers, and that he had admitted to making a series of incendiary posts on Facebook referencing the boogaloo movement.

Prosecutors on 31 January said they would not seek the death penalty, but US district judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said Friday she is not convinced that she will accept the plea agreement between prosecutors and defense lawyers calling for a 41-year prison sentence, saying that she might reject the plea agreement if she doesn’t feel prosecutors and defense lawyers do enough to justify the sentence, the AP reported.

The Guardian previously investigated how Carrillo and other alleged members of the boogaloo movement had used Facebook to find each other and plan violence:

Updated

Landlords finding ways to evict after getting rental aid

Although the $46.5bn Emergency Rental Assistance Program has paid out tens of billions of dollars to help avert an eviction crisis, some tenants, who received help are finding themscelves threatened with eviction again – sometimes days after getting federal help, the Associated Press reports. Many are finding it nearly impossible to find another affordable place to live.

The National Housing Law Project, in a survey last fall of nearly 120 legal aid attorneys and civil rights advocates, found that 86% of respondents reported cases in which landlords either refused to take assistance or accepted the money and still moved to evict tenants. The survey also found a significant increase in cases of landlords lying in court to evict tenants and illegally locking them out.

Updated

California legislation would require vaccines for all employees

California would mandate that all businesses require their employees and independent contractors to receive the COVID-19 vaccine under legislation announced Friday by Democratic state lawmakers that was immediately criticized by Republicans as government overreach, the Associated Press reports.

Employees or contractors who qualify for medical or religious exemptions would have to be regularly tested under a planned amendment to the bill. New employees would have to get at least one dose by the time they start work and the second dose within 45 days of being on the job.

Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks introduced her bill months after delaying an original proposal last fall. The previous version would have allowed workers to submit to weekly testing as an alternative to getting vaccinated, but that is not an option in her new proposal.

US regulators put brakes on Covid vaccine for children under five

US regulators on Friday put the brakes on their push to speed Pfizer’s Covid vaccine to children under five, creating major uncertainty about how soon the shots could become available, the Associated Press reports.

The Food and Drug Administration had urged Pfizer and its partner BioNTech to apply for authorization of extra-low doses of its vaccine for the youngest children before studies were even finished – citing the toll the Omicron variant has taken on children.

But Friday, the FDA reversed course and said it had become clear it needed to wait for data on how well that third shot works for this age group. Pfizer said in a statement that it expected the data by early April.

The immediate reaction from parents of kids under five was anger, as well as exhaustion.

‘Everything is on the table’ Canadian officials warn members of anti-vaccine blockade

A Canadian judge ordered protesters blockading a bridge at the US-Canada border to disperse by 7pm, capping a day of warning from Canadian officials that they were prepared to take action to end the blockade.

Key statements from Canadian officials, according to the Associated Press:

  • “We heard you. It’s time to go home now,” prime minister Justin Trudeau said, cautioning that “everything is on the table” for ending the blockades. “This unlawful activity has to end and it will end.”
  • Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency. Ford said he will convene the provincial cabinet on Saturday to urgently enact measures that make it “crystal clear” it is illegal to block critical infrastructure. Violators will face up to a year in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000, he said. “There will be consequences for these actions, and they will be severe,” Ford said. “This is a pivotal, pivotal moment for our nation.”
  • Ottawa’s mayor has asked for 1,800 additional police officers, which could nearly double the manpower available to the capital city’s police force.

It was not immediately clear when or if law enforcement officers would be sent in to remove the demonstrators, who parked their pickups and other vehicles in front of the bridge in a bumper-to-bumper protest against the country’s Covid-19 restrictions and against Trudeau and his liberal government, the Associated Press reported.

Updated

Report: Facebook groups inspired by Canadian trucker convoy linked to content mills

Facebook has confirmed that some of the Facebook groups ostensibly inspired by Canada’s anti-vaccine-mandate “Trucker Convoy” protest are being run by fake accounts linked to content mills in Asia and Europe, NBC News reports.

But not all of the large groups linked to the anti-vaccine protest are run by fake accounts, Ben Collins, an NBC News reporter who specializes in disinformation, cautioned.

Canadian judge orders an end to vaccine-protest blockade at border bridge

A judge on Friday ordered protesters at the Ambassador Bridge over the US-Canadian border to end the five-day-old blockade that has disrupted the flow of goods between the two countries and forced the auto industry on both sides to roll back production, the Associated Press reports.

It was not immediately clear when or if law enforcement officers would be sent in to remove the demonstrators, who parked their pickups and other vehicles near the bridge in a protest against the country’s Covid-19 restrictions and an outpouring of fury toward Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government.

Chief Justice Geoffrey Morawetz of the Ontario superior court said during a virtual hearing that the order would be effective at 7 pm to give protesters time to leave.

Windsor police immediately warned that demonstrators blocking the streets could be subject to arrest and their vehicles may be seized.

Updated

CIA collecting Americans’ private information in bulk, senators say

This is Lois Beckett, picking up our live politics coverage from our West Coast bureau in Los Angeles.

My colleague David Smith has more on the newly declassified documents that have prompted condemnation:

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has been secretly collecting Americans’ private information in bulk, according to newly declassified documents that prompted condemnation from civil liberties watchdogs.

The surveillance program was exposed on Thursday by two Democrats on the Senate intelligence committee. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico alleged that the CIA has long concealed it from the public and Congress.

While many basic facts about the program in question are still classified, one detail that was revealed may not spark much confidence in the guardrails currently in place:

... a pop-up box warns CIA analysts using the program that seeking any information about US citizens or others covered by privacy laws requires a foreign intelligence purpose.

Read the full story here:

Today so far

That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Lois Beckett, will take over the blog for the next few hours.

Here’s where the day stands so far:

  • The US warned of the “very distinct possibility” of a Russian invasion of Ukraine in the next few days, saying an attack could occur during the Beijing Olympics. “I will not comment on the details of our intelligence information,” the US national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said at today’s White House briefing. “But I do want to be clear, it could begin during the Olympics, despite a lot of speculation that it would only happen after the Olympics. As we’ve said before, we are ready either way.”
  • The White House urged all Americans still in Ukraine to leave in the next 24 to 48 hours. “We obviously cannot predict the future. We don’t know exactly what is going to happen,” Sullivan said. “But the risk is now high enough and the threat is now immediate enough that this is what prudence demands. If you stay, you are assuming risks with no guarantee that there will be any other opportunity to leave.” Sullivan warned a Russian attack on Ukraine may include aerial bombing that would endanger civilian lives.
  • Joe Biden told allied leaders in a private call today that Vladimir Putin has made the decision to move forward with an invasion, according to diplomatic sources. But Sullivan said US intelligence does not currently indicate that Putin has made a final call about launching an invasion.
  • Biden and Putin will have a phone call tomorrow to discuss the Ukraine crisis, according to multiple reports. The US president has already arrived at Camp David for the weekend, and he is expected to continue receiving updates from intelligence officials about the situation in Ukraine.
  • Biden signed an executive order to allocate $7bn in funds to humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan and American families impacted by terrorism. The executive order involves the US-held funds of Afghanistan’s central bank, which were frozen after the Taliban takeover of the country. Biden allocated $3.5bn of those funds for humanitarian projects in Afghanistan, which is facing widespread starvation due to the country’s economic collapse, and another $3.5bn for American families affected by Taliban terrorism. Some of those families lost loved ones in the September 11 attacks and have filed lawsuits against the Taliban.

Lois will have more coming up, so stay tuned.

According to the New York Times, Vladimir Putin had originally proposed a Monday phone call with Joe Biden, but the White House countered with a Saturday option, which the Kremlin accepted.

The news of the call comes as the US warns that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could occur at any moment and potentially during the Beijing Olympics, which will conclude on 20 February.

Updated

Biden and Putin to speak on Saturday - reports

Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin will speak on Saturday about the crisis in Ukraine, according to CNN. The news comes as the US warns a Russian invasion of Ukraine could occur during the Beijing Olympics.

The US national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said during today’s White House press briefing that the two leaders would likely have a phone call soon, but he did not specify when that conversation would occur.

“I would expect that President Biden will engage by telephone with President Putin, but I don’t have anything to announce for you on that right now,” Sullivan said.

Despite a PBS report indicating Putin has already decided to launch an invasion next week, Sullivan claimed that US intelligence currently indicates the Russian leader has not yet made a final call about launching an attack.

The Guardian’s Julian Borger and Dan Sabbagh report:

The US has warned of the “very distinct possibility” of a Russian invasion of Ukraine in the next few days, potentially involving an overwhelming attack on Kyiv, and told all remaining Americans to leave the country in the next 48 hours.

Diplomatic sources said that Joe Biden had told allies leaders in a call that Vladimir Putin had taken a decision to go ahead with an invasion, but Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, said that the US did not believe the Putin had given “a final go order”.

“I will say that the way that he has built up his forces and put them in place, along with the other indicators that we have collected through intelligence, makes it clear to us that there is a very distinct possibility that Russia will choose to act militarily, and there is reason to believe that that could happen on a reasonably swift timeframe,” Sullivan said.

“Now, we can’t pinpoint the day at this point, and we can’t pinpoint the hour but what we can say is that there is a credible prospect that a Russian military action would take place, even before the end of the Olympics.” The Winter Olympics in China close on 20 February.

Joe Biden held a video call with several European leaders today to discuss the crisis in Ukraine and potential responses if Russia moves forward with an invasion.

“The leaders expressed their concern about Russia’s continued build-up of military forces around Ukraine and reaffirmed their support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the White House said in its readout of the call.

“They expressed their desire for a diplomatic solution to the crisis, and discussed recent engagements with Russia in multiple formats. The leaders agreed on the importance of coordinated efforts to deter further Russian aggression against Ukraine, including their readiness to impose massive consequences and severe economic costs on Russia should it choose military escalation, and to continue reinforcing the defensive posture on NATO’s eastern flank.”

The participants of the call included British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Joe Biden has just left the White House and boarded Marine One to start the trip to Camp David, where he will spend the weekend.

As the president walked out to the helicopter, reporters shouted questions about the imminent threat of a Russian attack on Ukraine, as the White House warns an invasion could occur during the Beijing Olympics.

But the US president did not answer any questions.

Putin eyes regime change in Kyiv, western intelligence suggests

The Guardian’s Andrew Roth, Dan Sabbagh and Shaun Walker report:

Western intelligence agencies increasingly believe that Vladimir Putin has now put in place enough troops to attempt an invasion, a sentiment reflected in warnings in the last 24 hours from both Joe Biden and Boris Johnson. Nevertheless, they continue to believe no final decision by the Russian leader has been made.

A number of invasion scenarios are considered possible, but there is a prevailing belief that any military intervention ordered by Putin would be designed to achieve regime change in Kyiv.

That could see a lightning attack, aimed at encircling the capital, with the intention of forcing the collapse of Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s government, and trying to install a pro-Russian regime without urban warfare.

Johnson emphasised on Thursday that any invasion would amount to a massive miscalculation by Putin because Ukraine would “fight and they will resist very strongly”. Any belief in the Kremlin that a Russian intervention would be welcome by anything other than a tiny minority was mistaken, British ministers said.

A reporter asked Jake Sullivan whether the Biden administration feels obligated to provide underlying intelligence to justify officials’ claims about the imminent threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The reporter nodded to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, when faulty US intelligence about weapons of mass destruction was used to justify a massive military operation.

Sullivan argued that there was a “fundamental distinction” between the invasion of Iraq and the crisis in Ukraine, saying the US was now attempting to prevent a bloody war.

“In the situation in Iraq, intelligence was used and deployed from this very podium to start a war,” Sullivan said. “We are trying to stop a war, to prevent a war, to avert a war.”

Sullivan also noted that Americans can see for themselves that Russia is building up its troop presence along Ukraine’s borders, unlike when the US falsely claimed there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

“You can believe your own eyes that the Russians have put in place the capabilities to conduct a massive military operation against Ukraine should they choose to do so,” Sullivan said.

Jake Sullivan contradicted the report from PBS Newshour, saying US intelligence does not currently indicate that Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a final decision about invading Ukraine.

A reporter then asked the national security adviser whether Joe Biden intends to speak to Putin soon to continue diplomatic efforts to avoid an invasion.

“I would expect that President Biden will engage by telephone with President Putin, but I don’t have anything to announce for you on that right now,” Sullivan said.

The US national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, urged all Americans still in Ukraine to leave in the next 24 to 48 hours, citing the danger of a potential Russian invasion.

“We obviously cannot predict the future. We don’t know exactly what is going to happen,” Sullivan said at the White House press briefing.

“But the risk is now high enough and the threat is now immediate enough that this is what prudence demands. If you stay, you are assuming risks with no guarantee that there will be any other opportunity to leave.”

Sullivan added that there would be “no prospect of a US military evacuation in the event of a Russian invasion” so American citizens need to make plans to leave the country immediately.

“If a Russian attack on Ukraine precedes, it is likely to begin with aerial bombing and missile attacks that could obviously kill civilians without regard to their nationality,” Sullivan said.

Joe Biden delivered a similar message yesterday, urging all Americans still in Ukraine to leave because “things could go crazy quickly” if Russia invades.

“American citizens should leave, should leave now,” Biden told NBC News. “We’re dealing with one of the largest armies in the world. This is a very different situation and things could go crazy quickly.”

US is 'ready either way' if Russia invades Ukraine, Sullivan says

The US is “ready either way” whether Russian President Vladimir Putin decides to invade Ukraine or not, said Jake Sullivan, the US national security adviser.

“As we’ve said before, we are in the window when an invasion could begin,” Sullivan told reporters at the White House press briefing.

Sullivan would not confirm the PBS Newshour report that Putin has decided to invade Ukraine and has communicated that choice to Russian military leaders.

“I will not comment on the details of our intelligence information,” Sullivan said. “But I do want to be clear, it could begin during the Olympics, despite a lot of speculation that it would only happen after the Olympics. As we’ve said before, we are ready either way.”

Sullivan emphasized that the US and its allies continue to explore diplomatic options to deescalate tensions in Ukraine, even as Russia has continued to built up its troop presence along Ukrainian borders.

Sullivan warned that, if Russia should decide to invade Ukraine, the US and its allies will “respond decisively” through severe economic sanctions.

US believes Putin has decided to invade Ukraine - report

US officials believe Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine, and the operation is expected to begin next week, according to PBS Newshour.

The PBS report comes hours after the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said a Russian invasion could occur at any moment and may happen during the Beijing Olympics.

However, US officials have not yet publicly confirmed that they expect an invasion to occur next week , and the White House has not declassified any intelligence to substantiate that claim.

The US national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, is now speaking at the White House press briefing, and he is addressing the Ukraine crisis. Stay tuned for more details.

In the latest episode of Politics Weekly Extra, the Guardian’s Jonathan Freedland speaks to local Ohioan politics reporter, Andrew Tobias, about why the Senate and gubernatorial midterm races are shaping up to be a litmus test for the influence of Trumpism in Republican success.

Listen to the full episode:

Updated

US urges Canada to end trucker border blockade and Ontario declares state of emergency

The US homeland security secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, and the transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, have urged their Canadian counterparts to use federal powers to ease the growing economic disruption caused by the blockade of the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario, which borders Detroit.

Protesters opposed to coronavirus mandates began blocking the Ambassador Bridge on Monday and have since shut two smaller border crossings in Alberta and Manitoba provinces.

The closure of North America’s busiest international land border crossing, a vital supply route for Detroit’s carmakers, has halted some auto output and left officials scrambling to limit economic damage. Mayorkas and Buttigieg, urged their Canadian counterparts “to use federal powers to resolve this situation at our joint border”, a White House official said on Thursday.

On Friday the province of Ontario invoked a state of emergency and says it will use the threat of hefty fines, jail time and vehicle licence seizures to end a blockade that has crippled trade between Canada and the United States. A court hearing is scheduled for noon on Friday as the city of Windsor seeks an injunction to forcibly remove protesters from the international bridge.

People walk with Canadian flags as truckers and supporters continue blocking access to the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Detroit and Windsor, in protest against Covid mandates
People walk with Canadian flags as truckers and supporters continue blocking access to the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Detroit and Windsor, in protest against Covid mandates Photograph: Carlos Osorio/Reuters
Truckers and supporters continue blocking access to the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Detroit and Windsor
Truckers and supporters continue blocking access to the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Detroit and Windsor Photograph: Carlos Osorio/Reuters

Updated

Today so far

Here’s where the day stands so far:

  • Joe Biden urged Americans in Ukraine to leave the country, saying “things could go crazy quickly” if Russia invades. Biden’s message came as his secretary of state, Antony Blinken, warned that Russia may move forward with an attack before the end of the Beijing Olympics, an analysis that contradicts previous assessments by the US and its allies.
  • Biden spoke to several leaders of allied nations this morning about the crisis in Ukraine. Biden arranged a virtual meeting with European leaders to discuss “our shared concerns about Russia’s continued buildup of military forces around Ukraine and continued coordination on both diplomacy and deterrence,” the White House said.
  • Biden signed an executive order to allocate $7bn in funds to humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan and American families impacted by terrorism. The executive order involves the US-held funds of Afghanistan’s central bank, which were frozen after the Taliban takeover of the country. Biden allocated $3.5bn of those funds for humanitarian projects in Afghanistan, which is facing widespread starvation due to the country’s economic collapse, and another $3.5bn for American families affected by Taliban terrorism. Some of those families lost loved ones in the September 11 attacks and have filed lawsuits against the Taliban.

The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Melbourne today for a meeting with foreign ministers of the Quad, an increasingly active diplomatic grouping that is viewed warily by China, which sees it as an effort to contain its influence.

The meeting comes a week after China’s Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin of Russia signed a joint statement calling on the west to “abandon the ideologised approaches of the cold war”, as the two leaders showcased their warming relationship in Beijing at the start of the Winter Olympics.

This so-called “no limits” agreement was one of the developments discussed at Friday’s meeting of the Quad foreign ministers.

The Australian foreign minister, Marise Payne, said Russia and China’s agreement was “concerning because it doesn’t represent a global order that squares with those ambitions for freedom and openness and sovereignty and the protection of territorial integrity”.

Speaking at a joint news conference with her Quad counterparts, Payne said rules and norms were “under pressure, in particular from authoritarian regimes”.

US intelligence suggests Russia may attack Ukraine during Olympics - report

The US and its allies have gathered intelligence suggesting Russia may move to invade Ukraine even before the Beijing Olympics end later this month, according to CNN.

US officials had previously indicated they thought Vladimir Putin would wait to stage an attack until after the Olympics to avoid angering his ally, Chinese President Xi Jinping.

But US Secretary of State Antony Blinken indicated those assessments had shifted, saying in Melbourne today, “We’re in a window when an invasion could begin at any time – and to be clear, that includes during the Olympics.”

The Biden administration has previously been pressed to declassify some intelligence to corroborate its claims about Russia’s plans in Ukraine, and CNN reports that the US may declassify some of its reports later today.

A Republican Senate primary candidate in Arizona has been condemned for a “disgusting” campaign ad in which he shoots at lookalike actors portraying Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi and incumbent Arizona senator Mark Kelly.

Jim Lamon, an energy executive, shared the ad on Twitter, saying it would be aired at this year’s Super Bowl.

Lamon would face Kelly in a general election in the autumn should he secure the Republican nomination.

Kelly is the husband of former Democratic congressman Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, who was shot in the head in 2011 while greeting constituents outside of a local grocery store.

Criticism towards the ad has been swift, with many people pointing out other recent instances of violent imagery used by members of the Republican Party. Last November, Paul Gosar, Republican representative for Arizona, was officially censured by the House after sharing an animated video depicting him killing the Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and attacking Biden.

The process to distribute the funds from Da Afghanistan Bank to humanitarian efforts and families affected by terrorism is likely to be long and arduous, as legal battles over the money unfold.

But some American families affected by terrorism have said that all of the $7bn should go to humanitarian projects in Afghanistan, where the country’s economic collapse has spurred widespread starvation and a looming refugee crisis.

Barry Amundson, who lost his brother Craig in the September 11 attacks and now belongs to the group September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, said the policy would unfairly punish innocent Afghans.

“I can’t think of a worse betrayal of the people of Afghanistan than to freeze their assets and give it to 9/11 families,” Amundson told the New York Times.

“While 9/11 families are seeking justice for their loss through these suits, I fear that the end result of seizing this money will be to cause further harm to innocent Afghans who have already suffered greatly.”

The Taliban took over the central bank – known as Da Afghanistan Bank – and immediately claimed a right to the money, but under longstanding counter-terrorism sanctions it is illegal to engage in financial transactions with the organisation. Furthermore, the US does not recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

As the Biden administration mulled over what to do with the funds, a group of relatives of victims of the September 11 attacks, who years ago won a default judgment against the Taliban and al-Qaida, sought to seize the Afghan bank assets.

In a case known as Havlish, the plaintiffs persuaded a judge to dispatch a US marshal to serve the Federal Reserve with a “writ of execution” to seize the Afghan money.

The Biden government has intervened in the lawsuit, and is expected to tell the court that the victims’ claims for half the money should be heard (several other victims’ groups have also asked for a share).

If the judge agrees, Joe Biden will seek to direct the remainder toward some sort of trust fund to be spent on food and other humanitarian aid in Afghanistan – while keeping it out of the hands of the Taliban.

Biden signs EO to deliver $7bn in aid to Afghan humanitarian efforts and 9/11 families

Joe Biden has signed an executive order to allocate $7bn in frozen funds to humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan and Americans affected by terrorism, including families of September 11 victims.

The order involves assets held by Afghanistan’s central bank, Da Afghanistan Bank, in the US. Biden’s directive calls for those funds to be consolidated into an account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

The US president is calling for $3.5bn in DAB funds to be allocated for “the benefit of the Afghan people and for Afghanistan’s future,” as the country faces the threat of massive famine following the Taliban takeover.

According to the executive order, even with the allocation of funds for humanitarian projects in Afghanistan, there will still be more than $3.5bn in DAB assets left for US families who have been affected by terrorism and have filed lawsuits against the Taliban. Some of those families lost loved ones in the September 11 attacks.

“This is one step forward in the United States’ effort to authorize the transfer of a significant portion of the funds to meet the needs of the Afghan people,” the White House said in its fact sheet about the order.

“The E.O. is designed to provide a path for the funds to reach the people of Afghanistan, while keeping them out of the hands of the Taliban and malicious actors.”

Updated

Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, will join press secretary Jen Psaki at the daily White House briefing this afternoon.

Sullivan is expected to provide an update on the diplomatic efforts to deescalate tensions in Ukraine, following Biden’s virtual meeting this morning with leaders of several allied nations.

The secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has warned that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could come at any moment, as Vladimir Putin has amassed more than 100,000 military personnel along Ukrainian borders.

“We’re in a window when an invasion could begin at any time – and to be clear, that includes during the Olympics,” Blinken said in Melbourne today.

US officials had previously argued that Putin would likely wait until after the Beijing Olympics to stage an invasion, out of concern for his ally, Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Biden to speak with allied leaders about Ukraine crisis, White House confirms

Joe Biden will speak to the leaders of allied nations this morning to continue their discussions about the escalating crisis in Ukraine, the White House has confirmed.

The White House told the press pool that Biden will hold an 11am ET call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Polish President Andrzej Duda, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The leaders will “discuss our shared concerns about Russia’s continued buildup of military forces around Ukraine and continued coordination on both diplomacy and deterrence,” the White House said.

Trudeau’s office had already indicated the virtual meeting would be taking place, although it did not appear on Biden’s original schedule released by the White House last night.

The call comes as Biden has urged all Americans to leave Ukraine out of concern of a potential Russian invasion, and talks with the Kremlin have so far failed to deescalate tensions.

Updated

When Emmanuel Macron visited Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Monday, the French president refused to take a coronavirus test requested by the Kremlin out of fear of the Russians obtaining his DNA.

“We knew very well that meant no handshake and that long table. But we could not accept that they get their hands on the president’s DNA,” one of Macron’s aides told Reuters.

Macron’s refusal meant that the two leaders held their talks on the crisis in Ukraine at a 13-foot-long table to maintain distance from each other.

Vladimir Putin listens to Emmanuel Macron during their meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia.
Vladimir Putin listens to Emmanuel Macron during their meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. Photograph: AP

The set-up attracted widespread mockery on social media, and it prompted questions about whether Putin was using the comical situation to send a message about his refusal to back down in Ukraine.

But Putin’s spokesperson insisted the decision was merely meant to protect the Russian president’s health because of Macron’s refusal to take a test.

“There is no politics in this, it does not interfere with negotiations in any way,” Dmitry Peskov said, per Reuters.

Joe Biden is not expected to make any public appearance until this afternoon, when he leaves the White House to travel to Camp David for the weekend.

But according to the office of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Biden is hosting a meeting with several other leaders to discuss the escalating crisis in Ukraine.

Trudeau’s schedule indicates that the virtual meeting will also be attended by the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, the UK, the EU and Nato.

Invasion of Ukraine could occur 'during the Olympics,' Blinken says

The stability of the Indo-Pacific will also be in danger if Russia is allowed to threaten Ukraine with impunity, the US secretary of state has warned during a visit to Australia.

Antony Blinken said on Friday there were “very troubling signs of Russian escalation”, adding: “We’re in a window when an invasion could begin at any time – and to be clear, that includes during the Olympics.”

He said the US would continue to draw down its embassy in Kyiv and reiterated calls for any American citizens who remain in Ukraine to leave immediately, following Joe Biden’s comment that “things could go crazy quickly”.

After joining with his Australian, Indian and Japanese counterparts for a meeting of the Quad in Melbourne, Blinken made the case that allowing Russia to further invade Ukraine would have far wider consequences and could embolden other countries, such as China, to pursue military aggression.

Updated

Biden urges Americans to leave Ukraine as diplomatic talks falter

Greetings from Washington, live blog readers.

Joe Biden sent an urgent message to Americans in Ukraine yesterday, urging them to leave the country because “things could go crazy quickly” if Russia moves forward with an invasion.

“American citizens should leave, should leave now,” Biden told NBC News. “We’re dealing with one of the largest armies in the world. This is a very different situation and things could go crazy quickly.”

Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to deescalate tensions along Ukraine’s border, where Russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops, have not yet resulted in a peaceful resolution.

The AP reports:

Britain’s defense secretary visited Moscow Friday for talks on easing tensions amid massive Russian war games near Ukraine.

Ben Wallace’s trip comes a day after British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss held talks in Moscow, urging Russia to pull back over 100,000 troops amassed near Ukraine and warning that attacking its neighbor would ‘have massive consequences and carry severe costs.’

Russia says it has no plans to invade Ukraine but wants the West to keep Ukraine and other former Soviet countries out of NATO. It also wants NATO to refrain from deploying weapons there and roll back alliance forces from Eastern Europe — demands flatly rejected by the West.

The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned.

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