Any Russian Move Across Ukraine's Border Would Be An 'Invasion,' Biden
According to RFE/RL, the United States has made clear to President Vladimir Putin that any Russian movement into Ukraine would be considered an invasion, President Joe Biden said on January 20.
"I have been absolutely clear with President Putin. He has no misunderstanding. If any, any assembled Russian units move across the Ukrainian border, that is an invasion," Biden told reporters at the White House.
Alarms have been sounding throughout Western capitals about the danger of a new major conflict after Russia massed an estimated 127,000 troops along Ukraine’s borders and deployed a sizable force in Belarus for what Moscow and Minsk say will be snap military exercises.
Any such invasion would be met with a "severe and coordinated" economic response that has been discussed in detail with U.S. allies, Biden said, "as well as laid out very clearly for President Putin."
"But there is no doubt, let there be no doubt at all, that if Putin makes this choice, Russia will pay a heavy price," he added.
Biden's warning came shortly after Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Washington’s major allies in Europe met in Berlin to discuss the Ukraine crisis as concerns continue to rise that the buildup of Russian troops on its border with Ukraine is a prelude to an attack at "very short notice."
Blinken met with his counterparts from Germany, France, and the United Kingdom and said that if any Russian forces move across the Ukrainian border there will be a “swift, severe response from the United States and our allies and partners.”
Speaking at a joint news conference with Blinken, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the ministers “urge Russia to take steps towards a de-escalation” of the situation.
"Any further aggressive stance, any further aggression, would have grave consequences," Baerbock said.
The meeting of allies comes a day before Blinken heads to Geneva for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Blinken said Russia could use a wide array of actions to destabilize the situation, including hybrid and paramilitary attacks on Ukraine.
Blinken visited Kyiv on January 19 to reassure Ukraine that it had the support of Washington, saying that if Russia carries through with any aggressive moves against Ukraine, the United States is prepared to provide additional materials to Kyiv to help it defend itself.
Meanwhile, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg underlined the unity of the alliance in an interview with CNN.
"All NATO allies have made it clear several times that we will react if Russia once again conducts aggressive actions against Ukraine," Stoltenberg said on January 20.
