US President Joe Biden made a statement on the situation around Ukraine.
President Biden has said a Russian invasion of Ukraine is still a possibility. According to him, the Russian military is still in positions that threaten Ukraine. Their number along the perimeter of Ukraine, including in Belarus, he estimated at 150,000. The United States, according to Biden, cannot yet confirm the withdrawal of troops, which the Russian Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday.
Biden again urged Russia to choose the path of diplomacy. He addressed the Russian people, saying that the US did not threaten them and that the United States was not their enemy. According to Biden, the US does not seek to destabilize Russia.
He recalled that the US and the USSR were allies in World War II. He called a possible attack on Ukraine unjustified and recalled the common history and many ties between Ukraine and Russia.
According to Biden, if Russia starts aggression, the US and its allies will impose sanctions that will be tougher than those that have been introduced so far. According to the president, these measures will be put into effect immediately after the start of the aggression. Among the objects of sanctions, he mentioned the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
The US President emphasized that the United States, in response to Russian demands for “security guarantees,” put forward a number of proposals and called on Russia to negotiate. He stressed that the United States is supplying Ukraine with weapons for defense, but does not intend to place missiles on its territory. He also said that America will not give up its principles, including that each country, including Ukraine, can choose its own foreign policy, as well as the defense of freedom and democracy. According to Biden, the United States is ready to protect its NATO allies. He also mentioned that the US is ready to defend against cyber attacks.
- Western countries, in connection with the deployment of a large Russian armed group near the borders with Ukraine, declare fears that Russia is preparing an invasion of Ukraine. According to US officials, an invasion is now possible “at any moment.” A number of media outlets, citing intelligence sources, even named specific dates for the possible start of the invasion, including February 16th. No official dates have been made. Russia denies preparing an invasion.
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