US Not Seeking ‘Direct Use of American Military Force’ in Ukraine, Official Says Ahead of Putin Call

The United States is not seeking a situation in Ukraine that would entail “the direct use of American military force,” a senior administration official said ahead of Tuesday’s morning’s scheduled video call between President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

However, further Russian aggression against its southwestern neighbor would likely lead to the deployment on NATO’s eastern flank of “additional forces and capabilities” to reassure and bolster U.S. allies, the official said.

Briefing on background, the official also warned that a major Russia military escalation in Ukraine would bring “substantial...