United States (US) State Department Spokesperson Ned Price was questioned by Associated Press (AP) reporter Matt Lee about the evidence behind US officials’ belief that Russia intended to release an elaborate propaganda video on Ukraine in order to justify beginning a war.
A heated argument between the two [Price and Lee] can be heard in a video. Lee demanded Price to show the evidence to which he responded by saying that the information came from US intelligence, thus is classified.
“Okay, well, where is it? Where is this information?” Lee asked. Price responded by asking Lee if he would want a printed-out transcript of the briefing.
“That’s not evidence, that’s you saying it. I would like to see some proof that shows that the Russians are doing that,” Lee continued the argument.
Following the press briefing, Price said that he and Lee have had their fair share of sparring sessions. “Nothing but respect for him, which I underscored in a call to him after the briefing,” he added.
Russia has long resisted Ukraine’s move towards European institutions, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) as it shares a border with Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky have denied the news of an invasion. However, the US argued that Russia has no explanation for the troops posted close to Ukraine.
