President Joe Biden predicted a disaster for Russia if it fully invades Ukraine rather than committing a “minor incursion.”
The remarks came during a rare Biden press conference, which he began with prepared remarks before taking questions. When asked about the Russian situation, he gave a lengthy response detailing the limited options Russian President Vladimir Putin has and outlining future scenarios.
WHITE HOUSE: RUSSIA COULD ‘AT ANY POINT LAUNCH AN ATTACK’ ON UKRAINE
“It depends on what [Putin] does. It’s one thing if it’s a minor incursion and we end up having to fight about what to do and not to do,” Biden said. “But if they actually do what they’re capable of doing with the force amassed on the border, it is going to be a disaster for Russia if they further invade Ukraine.”
The White House issued a statement cleaning up Biden’s response afterward. “President Biden has been clear with the Russian President: If any Russian military forces move across the Ukrainian border, that’s a renewed invasion, and it will be met with a swift, severe, and united response from the United States and our allies,” press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement. “President Biden also knows from long experience that the Russians have an extensive playbook of aggression short of military action, including cyberattacks and paramilitary tactics. And he affirmed today that those acts of Russian aggression will be met with a decisive, reciprocal, and united response.”
Tensions at the Russia-Ukraine border have escalated to the point where the White House says an invasion could be imminent. But Biden promised that the Kremlin has “never seen sanctions like the ones I’ve promised” should it launch a full-scale attack.
Biden has had direct talks with Putin, and diplomats from both countries have engaged in a series of meetings over the last week.
The president noted that the United States has shipped $600 million worth of defense equipment to Ukraine and that while Putin may be able to successfully invade its neighbor, the fight could drag on for a decade with a great loss of human life and a crippling blow to Russia’s economy.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“Everybody talks about how Russia has control over the energy supply that Europe absorbs,” said Biden. “Guess what? That money that they earn from that marks about 45% of their economy. I don’t see that as a one-way street. They go ahead and cut it off, it’s, like my mother used to say, you are biting your nose off to spite your face.”
