The Biden administration is considering the evacuation of the families of diplomats in Ukraine, it was reported Friday.
More than 100,000 Russian troops appear primed to invade Ukraine — something seemingly made more likely after President Joe Biden's comments during a Wednesday press conference.
"Scoop: The U.S. is weighing whether to evacuate family members of diplomats stationed in Ukraine, sources tell @AlbertoNardelli and me. Announcement expected in the coming days," Bloomberg News senior foreign policy reporter Nick Wadham tweeted Friday morning.
Bloomberg reported that nonessential staff would be able to leave voluntarily while family members would be ordered to return home.
Sources told Bloomberg that a decision to evacuate simply reflects prudent preparations and not a sign the U.S. is certain Russia will invade.
Biden appeared to suggest that there could be a lower cost for a "'minor incursion'" by Russia in Ukraine as opposed to a full-scale invasion.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Thursday attempted to clarify Biden's remarks.
"President Biden has been clear with the Russian President: If any Russian military forces move across the Ukrainian border, that's a renewed invasion, and it will be met with a swift, severe, and united response from the United States and our allies," Psaki said in a statement.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met in Geneva on Friday, trying to avert a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine amid Moscow’s demands for concessions from NATO over its relationship with the former Soviet republic.
Blinken agreed to provide written responses to Russian demands and meet again in an effort to resolve the impasse over Ukraine diplomatically, Bloomberg reported.
Blinken told reporters "if Russia wants to begin to convince the world that it has no aggressive intent toward Ukraine, a very good place to start would be de-escalating," according to Bloomberg.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.