Sunday shows preview: US deploys troops, briefs lawmakers amid Russia-Ukraine tensions

The ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine and the U.S.’s response to the conflict are expected to dominate this week’s Sunday show circuit.

The Pentagon this week announced that the U.S. was deploying and repositioning over 3,000 American troops to bolster Eastern European allies amid the threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. On Saturday, a Polish military spokesperson said that the first of those troops had landed near the Poland-Ukraine border.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby stressed, however, that the troops would not fight in Ukraine, saying they were being sent to put the U.S. in a better position to protect NATO allies if a war between Ukraine and Russia began. 

“They are going to ensure the robust defense of our NATO allies,” Kirby stated.

The troop deployment comes as Russia has amassed upward of 100,000 troops on the Ukrainian border. On Thursday, Kirby told reporters that the U.S. believes Russia may plan to create a pretext to invade Ukraine by producing propaganda video showing aggression toward Russians. Russia has said it has no intention of invading Ukraine.

Lawmakers this week emerged from a classified briefing on the tensions between Russia and Ukraine warning reporters of the potential of an imminent Russian invasion. 

“This is the most significant threat in Europe since 1945. It’s just that simple,” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said, adding it is a “near certainty” Russia will invade.

“If we now live in an era where someone can move into a country and just take it over and claim it as their own, I don’t think it’s going to stop at Ukraine,” he said. “I think you’ll see this in Asia. I think you’ll see that potentially in other countries in Europe, many of whom complained that some treaty 100 years ago screwed them — and we’re going to be living in a very different era.” 

Rubio will be on CBS’s “Face the Nation” Sunday. Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who sit on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, are set to appear on “Fox News Sunday” and Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures,” respectively. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, is also scheduled to appear on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures.”

“We are working to pursue diplomacy in every possible venue,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said of the ongoing tensions this week. “But we also know that diplomacy will not succeed in an atmosphere of threat and military escalation.”

Thomas-Greenfield will be on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday. National security adviser Jake Sullivan is scheduled to make multiple appearances, on ABC’s “This Week,” NBC’s “Meet the Press” and “Fox News Sunday.” Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is set to appear on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures.”

Below is the full list of guests scheduled to appear on this week’s Sunday talk shows:

ABC’s “This Week” — National security adviser Jake Sullivan; Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas).

NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Sullivan; Marc Short, former chief of staff to former Vice President Mike Pence.

CBS’s “Face the Nation” — Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.); Wally Adeyemo, deputy treasury secretary; H.R. McMaster, a former national security adviser.

CNN’s “State of the Union” — Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska); Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

“Fox News Sunday” — Sullivan; Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.).

Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures” — House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.); Mike Pompeo, former United States Secretary Of State; Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas); Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.)