Biden: The risk of Russia attacking Ukraine remains
US President Joe Biden once again raised the possibility of a Russian attack on Ukraine in a televised speech. The US president also stressed that if Russia attacks American citizens in Ukraine, it will face a decisive response.
In a televised address Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden again warned Russian President Vladimir Putin against invading Ukraine, urging him to avoid war with the country. Biden spoke of “needless death and destruction” and the international outrage Moscow would provoke and Putin would face.
Biden said that the United States estimates that about 150,000 Russian troops have surrounded Ukraine. The US president welcomed the news that some Russian forces have withdrawn from the Ukrainian borders, but stressed that this news has not yet been confirmed and that the possibility of an attack on Ukraine remains strong.
While emphasizing that diplomacy remains the best way to resolve the crisis, Biden warns that if Russia attacks Ukraine, the United States and its allies are prepared to respond to Russia with sanctions aimed at creating economic pressure and international isolation.
A large part of Biden's remarks in this speech were directly directed at Vladimir Putin, who calls for the rejection of Ukraine as a member state of NATO and the further expansion of this military alliance to the east.
Biden continued: “The United States and NATO are not a threat to Russia. Ukraine is not a threat to Russia. Neither the United States nor NATO has missiles in Ukraine. We have absolutely no plans to deploy missiles there. We have not targeted the Russian people and we are not seeking to destabilize Russia.”
The US president continued to address the Russian people: "To the citizens of Russia: We are not your enemy, and I do not think you want a bloody and destructive war against Ukraine." He added that the human and strategic cost of this attack would be very heavy for Russia, adding: "The world will not forget that Russia chose unnecessary death and destruction."
Joe Biden stressed that the United States is not seeking a direct confrontation with Russia and that American troops are not going to fight in Ukraine. But he said that if Russia attacks American citizens in Ukraine, it will face a decisive response.
The US president warned that the consequences of the Russian attack would be felt within the country, including affecting energy prices.
US President Joe Biden had previously said that Russia's invasion of Ukraine would lead to the suspension of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline contract. The pipeline carries Russian gas to Germany and Europe.
Russia has always said it has no plans to invade Ukraine and has accused the United States of anti-Russian propaganda and intimidation.
Source: DW
