Mr. Joe Biden, the Vice President of the United States, has stated that Russia will “pay a heavy price” if its military units cross the Ukrainian border, which will be interpreted as a “invasion.” In a statement issued Thursday, the Treasury Department said it would sanction individuals who participated in influencing activities directed by the Russian government.
In a statement, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the action was part of the administration’s ongoing, long-standing efforts to counter Russia’s network of influence efforts and to expose the country’s dangerous, threatening, and ongoing campaign to destabilise Ukraine.
According to her, “These individuals are at the heart of Russia’s destabilising campaign in Ukraine, and we stand united with the Ukrainian government.” She also responded to a question with the following statement: Psaki emphasised that the United States is not waiting to take action to counter Russian aggression.
“We can see what they’re doing, and we’re interfering with it. Those actions are distinct from the broad range of high-impact, severe measures that we and our allies are prepared to impose in order to inflict significant costs on them if they invade, and they should be considered separately “” she explained.
In a later statement, Biden said, “I’ve been absolutely clear with President Putin… If any assembled Russian units move across the Ukrainian border, that would be considered an invasion, and would be met with a severe and coordinated economic response that I’ve discussed in detail with our allies and laid out very clearly for President Putin.” Biden added, “I’ve been absolutely clear with President Putin…
“Let there be no doubt in anyone’s mind that if Putin makes this decision, Russia will pay a heavy price,” the president of the United States declared.
Biden emphasised the importance of being prepared for cyberattacks, “grey-zone” attacks, and actions by Russian soldiers who are not dressed in their country’s uniform. Russian aggression has a long history, he claims, and has been carried out through means other than overt military action on the Russian mainland.
“Remember when they moved into the Donbass with a group of ‘Little Green Men’ to fight the Russians? Those who were sympathetic to Russia were dealt with, and they asserted that Russia had no representatives in the country “he explained.
Soldiers in unmarked uniforms, dubbed “little green men” by some, had swept through Crimea in 2014, laying the groundwork for Russia’s annexation of the peninsula the following year.
“We have to be prepared to respond to these in a coordinated manner, using a variety of tools at our disposal,” Biden said in a statement. In a later interview, Biden was asked why he was waiting for Putin to make the first move, to which he responded, “What an idiotic question.”
President Biden and his foreign policy team have decades of combined experience, according to White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, and the administration consults with its partners when making decisions, she added.
“Russian President Vladimir Putin is going to make the decision that he is going to make. Either he will decide to invade Ukraine and suffer the severe economic consequences that will follow, or he will decide to engage in diplomatic discussions with the country “” she explained.
“Russia and Vladimir Putin are the aggressors. They are increasing the number of military troops on the ground in Ukraine while also spreading false information. That is who we must keep our attention on, and we must ensure that the general public is informed about their actions “Psaki went on to say more.