THE BOTTOM LINE – OVERNIGHT:  So much talking and speculating about the situation in the Ukraine.  Air time must be filled.  Newspapers must be stuffed.  War is in the air.

And yet, there is a sense that, this time, the war speculation may be accurate.  Putin is the chief officer of a major opponent.  We are not talking Korea or Vietnam or Iraq.  We have not confronted a major opponent since the war against Hitler, World War II.   We are watching day by day, aware that President Biden's pledge not to send troops into Ukraine could disappear in a second.  Developments from Fox: 

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday that there is every indication that Russia is planning a "full-scale attack" on Ukraine and urged Moscow to reverse course immediately.

"We urge Russia in the strongest possible terms to choose the path of diplomacy. This is the most dangerous moment in European security for a generation," Stoltenberg told reporters from Brussels. 

"Every indication is that Russia continues to plan for a full-scale attack on Ukraine," he warned.

The secretary-general’s comments come just one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin first announced his decision to recognize the independence of two Russian-backed breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, and then ordered "peacekeeping" troops into the Donbas region. 

Stoltenberg confirmed that NATO had "evidence" that Russian forces have already invaded Ukraine following Putin’s order. 

Over 150,000 troops have amassed along Ukraine’s border in Russia, Belarus as well as in occupied Crimea and Donbas. 

"Moscow has now moved from covert attempts to destabilize Ukraine to overt military action," the NATO chief said. "Many units are forward-deployed in combat formations. They are out of their camps in the field and ready to strike."

Stoltenberg applauded immediate moves by nations like Germany, the U.K. and the U.S. to target financial institutions tied to the Kremlin and said NATO will continue to help defend Ukraine by providing military equipment and "sustained financial support."

The U.S. and NATO have said they will not deploy forces to Kyiv to engage with Russia militarily as Ukraine is not a NATO member.

Member nations surrounding Ukraine like Romania and Poland have received military support as thousands of troops have been deployed from the U.S., U.K. and Baltic states to protect against any possible Russian aggression.

In answer to a reporter’s questions on mounting concerns that there will be a "full-on war" in Europe, Stoltenberg warned, "There is a real risk."

COMMENT:  It is easy for Washington to say that America will not put troops into Ukraine.  What happens if Russia attacks, and successfully destroys the Ukrainian army?  Will this country simply go home?  Or will we, the Americans, fight to save whatever is left of Ukraine?   That is the inescapable question.

February 22, 2022