QUESTION: Can I go back to President Putin and his comments?

MS. PSAKI: Sure. QUESTION: I don’t think that anyone in this government, in

this Administration, has commented on these – this “I can be in Kyiv in

two days” – those comments. QUESTION: Two weeks. QUESTION: Two weeks, sorry, not two days – although maybe two

days is more accurate; who knows – in two weeks. So do you have any – do

you regard these comments by the Russian president as provocative? How

do you see these, especially given what’s going on right now with the

Ukrainian allegations that the Russians have actually invaded? MS. PSAKI: Well, this is hardly the language of a statesman

seeking peace and prosperity for people, for people in the region. I

understand that there have been some explanations about language being

taken out of context from the Kremlin. I’ll let them speak to that. QUESTION: And which should sound familiar to denizens of this building who have seen remarks reported. MS. PSAKI: Well, James, I think it would be more useful, of

course, for – to hear President Putin say that in two weeks he will

remove all Russian troops and pull back the assistance, financial and

military, that he’s providing to the separatists. That certainly is — QUESTION: So you’re giving him two weeks? Is that the deal? MS. PSAKI: Well, I think — QUESTION: Wouldn’t you like to see it happen sooner rather than later? MS. PSAKI: I referenced two weeks. Of course we’d want it to

happen sooner, but the reference to two weeks was in the two weeks in

the quote.

On the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and Ukrainian statements that they are fighting the Russian army:

QUESTION: Do you have any reason to doubt any of the

allegations being made by the Ukrainians that they’re actually now

fighting? It’s not just – it’s not just pro – there’s a pro-Russian

separatists they’re fighting, it is the Russian army itself. And do you

have any comments – since you did have a comment on President Putin and

his “two week” remark, do you have any comment on the Ukrainian defense

minister talking about this conflict as a great patriotic war? MS. PSAKI: Well, the first question, Matt – I think Russia has

certainly continued to increase its intervention in eastern Ukraine and

is responsible for the escalating violence. We know it’s encouraged by

Russia. It’s funded by Russia. The separatists are trained by Russia.

And obviously, we’ve seen over the course of the last several weeks an

escalating level of aggression from the Russian-backed separatists, and

obviously, Russia has been fully engaged in that effort. In terms of the specific comments of the defense minister, I’m happy to take a look at them if you want to send them over. […] QUESTION: So, okay, can you speak – so speaking to the

confirmed reports, are there Russian troops in Ukraine right now

fighting the Ukrainian army, as the Ukrainians claim? MS. PSAKI: Well, I think, Matt, I don’t have anything new to

confirm for you independently from the United States. Obviously, we’ve

seen an increasing level of aggression from the Russians. That includes

the movement of troops across the border, which NATO and others have

certainly spoken to and confirmed over the course of the last week. That

includes continued – the continued effort to provide military

assistance and the financing. QUESTION: That means movement of troops across the – movement

of Russian troops across the Ukrainian border into Ukraine. Is that what

you’re talking about? MS. PSAKI: Well, that’s been confirmed – I mean, last week. QUESTION: Okay. So why is that not an invasion? Why do you shy

away from this? I mean, the NATO commander said last week that if this

was happening in a NATO member, it would invoke – Article 5 would be

invoked, because it would be something that – it requires a military

response. If one member is attacked, they’re all attacked. So why not

call it the way you see it? MS. PSAKI: Well, I think in our view it doesn’t matter what we

call it. We’re calling it an illegal incursion. We’re saying they’re

violating the sovereignty of Ukraine. We’ve obviously increased not only

the number of sanctions and the kind of sanctions we’re putting in

place, but we continue to consider a range of requests that the

Ukrainians have issued. So our actions, in our view, and what we’re

going to do about it is more important than what we call it.

On Russian lies about what they are really doing in Ukraine: