U.S. President Joe Biden said Thursday that he has made it clear to Russian President Vladimir Putin that any Russian moves toward Ukraine would be considered an invasion, after he had earlier suggested that the Allies were divided on how to react to a “minor incursion.”
“I have been absolutely clear with President Putin, there is no misunderstanding. If any – any – deployed Russian unit moves across the Ukrainian border, that’s an invasion,” Biden told reporters at the White House.
Biden said that such an invasion would be met with a “severe and coordinated response, an economic response as has been discussed in detail with our allies and as has been very clearly stated with President Putin.”
He added: “But there is no doubt, let there be no doubt, that if Putin makes this decision, Russia will pay a heavy price.”
Russia has concentrated tens of thousands of troops on its borders with Ukraine and Western states fear that Moscow is planning a new assault on a country it invaded in 2014. Russia denies this.
Biden said Washington was keeping an eye on other scenarios.
“Russia has a long history of using measures other than overt military action to carry out aggression. Paramilitary tactics, so-called gray zone attacks, and action by Russian soldiers not wearing Russian uniforms.”
Biden said other possible covert actions by Moscow included cyberattacks, as well as what he called the deployment of “little green men in uniform.”
“We have to be prepared to respond to these as well in a decisive and united manner with the range of tools at our disposal,” Biden added.
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