Russia-Ukraine War ‘Not Inevitable’ but If It Happens, Death Toll Would Be High: US Military Officials

General Mark Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, answers questions from reporters about Russia and the crisis in the Ukraine during a news conference at the Pentagon in Washington on Jan. 28, 2022. Joshua Roberts/Reuters

A Russian invasion of Ukraine is not inevitable but if it does take place, it would lead to a significant number of deaths, top U.S. military officials said Friday.

“Conflict is not inevitable,” U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters at the Pentagon in Washington. “There is still time and place for diplomacy.”