ASV the president Joe Biden said that in his opinion Russia will attack Ukraine, warning that Moscow it will be expensive. At the same time, he also acknowledged that NATO does not agree on how to react to Russia ‘s aggression if there is only a “small invasion”, writes The Guardian.
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The White House was immediately forced to explain the president’s comments in the context of NATO unity, saying that any movement of Russian forces across the border would be considered an invasion. Baiden’s remarks have caused unrest in Ukraine, the media notes.
Asked about the intentions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the US president said he did not know if Vladimir Putin himself had decided on his next move. “It simply came to our notice then [Putins] will go inside [Ukrainā]. He has to do something, “said Biden.
In the event of an invasion, Russia would prove to be superior in military terms, but it would have to face large casualties, the White House owner said.
NATO has announced that it will move troops to its eastern flank in the event of an attack, and the United States has negotiated a series of sanctions with its allies in Europe. However, in discussing possible scenarios, President Biden revealed behind the scenes of disagreements between NATO allies over the severity of the response to Moscow’s new aggression. “What you will see is that Russia will be held accountable if it invades, and it depends on what it does,” he said. “One thing is if it’s a small invasion, then we have to fight for what to do and what not to do,” Biden added.
Asked to clarify what constituted a “minor invasion,” he pointed to cyber-attacks and the presence of Russian intelligence personnel who, according to Washington, were already in Ukraine. He claimed that the transfer of large troops to Ukrainian territory would be a red line. “NATO has differences in what countries want to do depending on what happens,” Biden said. “If Russian forces cross the border (..) I think it will change everything.”
Kiev He was alarmed by Biden ‘s choice of words and his suggestion that a “small invasion” would split NATO and create a vague answer. A Ukrainian official told CNN that Baiden’s remarks “give Putin the green light to invade Ukraine to his liking.”
A few minutes after Biden stopped speaking, his spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, explained. “President Biden has made it clear to the Russian president that if any Russian military forces cross the Ukrainian border, it is a repeat invasion and will be met with a swift, tough and united response from the United States and our allies,” Psaki said in a written statement.
Tensions have escalated in recent months due to the concentration of Russian forces on Ukraine’s borders. Moscow has concentrated about 100,000 troops on the Ukrainian border. Russia has denied any plans to invade Ukraine, and the United States and other Western countries have warned Moscow of the serious consequences of aggressively targeting Ukraine.
Since 2014, Moscow has annexed Ukraine Crimea Peninsula, and launched, escalated and staged an armed conflict in eastern Ukraine that claimed at least 13,000 lives.
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