“If any of the constricted Russian units cross the Ukrainian border, it will be an invasion,” Biden told reporters in the White House, adding that he had made it “absolutely clear” to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“This will be addressed through a difficult and coordinated response, which I have discussed in detail with our allies and made very clear to President Putin,” Biden said. “Russia will pay a high price.”
Explaining his previous day’s statement that the “small invasion” would be treated differently, Biden pointed out that Moscow might not hold a standard invasion and that “we must be prepared.”
“This is not the only scenario we need to be prepared for. Russia has a long history of using measures other than open warfare to carry out aggression. Paramilitary tactics, so-called gray zone attacks and the actions of Russian soldiers without wearing Russian uniforms,” Biden said. adding that Russia also frequently uses cyber attacks.
Biden, admitting Russia’s alleged invasion of Ukraine, warned on Wednesday that Moscow would have to pay a high price in the event of a large-scale invasion, but also said it could be lower in the event of a “small invasion.”
Baiden’s remarks during the press conference raised doubts about the Western reaction to Russia’s possible re-invasion of Ukraine and later justified the White House in trying to explain what the president had said.
Shortly after the two-hour press conference, the White House was forced to reiterate the need for a strong response from Russia in the event of an invasion of Ukraine.
Russia has concentrated a troop of 100,000 men on Ukraine’s borders, raising concerns about a new invasion of a neighboring country.
In December, Moscow issued an ultimatum to the West demanding a halt to NATO’s further expansion to the east and the dismantling of the Alliance’s infrastructure in the so-called new member states, restoring the status quo on 27 May 1997, before NATO’s first enlargement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened that if Moscow does not receive the “security guarantees” he has demanded, he will have to take “military technical measures”.
The United States and other NATO members have stated that these demands are unacceptable and not even negotiable, but have shown readiness to talk about arms control, missile deployment and confidence-building measures.
However, Moscow insists that the Kremlin’s demands are an indivisible package and acceptable unchanged.
Experts believe that the Kremlin has thus placed itself in a situation where any resignation from the Western ultimatum will be seen as a humiliating defeat for Putin.
–
