Joe Biden says Russia ‘will move in’ to Ukraine but ‘minor incursion’ may not trigger US response

A stunning comment by Joe Biden effectively “gives the green light” for Russia to invade Ukraine, furious officials say.

Ukraine has proposed three-way talks with US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin amid fears of invasion. Picture: MANDEL NGAN and Mikhail Metzel / AFP

US President Joe Biden has predicted Russia “will move in” to Ukraine, while suggesting a “minor incursion” would not elicit the same response from the West as a full-scale invasion.

Mr Biden’s comments on Wednesday reportedly “stunned” Kiev, with a Ukrainian official telling CNN the comments effectively give “the green light to Putin to enter Ukraine at his pleasure”.

“I’m not so sure he is certain what he is going to do,” Mr Biden said at a wide-ranging White House press conference.

“My guess is he will move in. He has to do something. He is trying to find his place in the world between China and the West.”

But Mr Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin was aware of the sanctions the US was prepared to enact – which would depend on the scale of Russia’s invasion.

Sanctions would include limiting Russia’s access to US financial institutions and US dollar transactions.

“He’s never seen sanctions like the ones I promised will be imposed if he moves, number one,” he said.

“It’s one thing if it’s a minor incursion and we end up having to fight about what to do and not do, et cetera. But if they actually do what they’re capable of doing with the forces amassed on the border, it is going to be a disaster for Russia if they further invade Ukraine. And that our allies and partners are ready to impose severe cost and significant harm on Russia and the Russian economy.”

Mr Biden later clarified, reading a prepared statement, “I’ve 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.”

US President Joe Biden answers questions in the East Room of the White House on January 19, 2022, in Washington, DC, during a rare press conference to kick off his second year in office. Picture: Mandel Ngan/AFP

Mr Biden reportedly ‘stunned’ Ukraine by suggesting during the press conference that a ‘minor incursion’ by Russia would not elicit the same sanctions as a full-scale invasion of the country. Picture: Mandel Ngan/AFP

President Biden has tonight given the green light for Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine. Outrageously irresponsible statement, and his worst foreign policy blunder since he abruptly abandoned the Afghan people. Sorry, but this is recklessly shameful conduct by the President.

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 19, 2022

English broadcaster and former editor Piers Morgan blasted Biden’s comments as “outrageous and shameful”.

“President Biden has tonight given the green light for Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine,” he wrote on Twitter.

“Outrageously irresponsible statement, and his worst foreign policy blunder since he abruptly abandoned the Afghan people.

“Sorry, but this is recklessly shameful conduct by the President.”

‘Green light’ to invade

Speaking to CNN, the unnamed Ukrainian official said he was “shocked that the US President Biden would distinguish between incursion and invasion” and that a minor incursion would not trigger sanctions.

Elaborating on his reference to a “minor incursion”, Mr Biden suggested disunity among NATO countries could lead to debate over how to punish Russia.

“If there is something that is where there‘s Russian forces crossing the border, killing Ukrainian fighters, et cetera, I think that changes everything,” he said.

“But it depends on what he does, to what extent we‘ll get total unity on the NATO front. It’s very important that we keep everyone in NATO on the same page. That’s what I’m spending a lot of time doing, and there are differences. There are differences in NATO as to what countries are willing to do, depending on what happens.”

The White House later issued a statement clarifying Mr Biden’s comments.

“President Biden has been clear with the Russian President – if any Russian military forces move across the Ukrainian border, that‘s a renewed invasion, and it will be met with a swift, severe, and united response from the United States and our Allies,” Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

“President Biden also knows from long experience that the Russians have an extensive playbook of aggression short of military action, including cyberattacks and paramilitary tactics. And he affirmed today that those acts of Russian aggression will be met with a decisive, reciprocal, and united response.”

CNN: “One Ukrainian official…said that he was ‘shocked that President Biden would give a green light to Vladimir Putin in this way.’”

“It gives the green light to Putin to enter Ukraine at his pleasure.” pic.twitter.com/tLkR92GgnK

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 19, 2022

Blinken urges ‘peaceful path’

Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Mr Putin to choose the “peaceful path” on Ukraine, as he visited Kiev to show support before crunch talks with Russia later this week.

In Ukraine, in advance of talks with European allies in Berlin and his Russian counterpart in Geneva on Friday, Mr Blinken urged Mr Putin to dispel fears he is planning an invasion of his pro-Western neighbour.

“I strongly, strongly hope that we can keep this on a diplomatic and peaceful path, but ultimately, that’s going to be President Putin’s decision,” Mr Blinken said at the US embassy after he landed in the Ukrainian capital.

With tens of thousands of Russian troops massed on the Ukrainian border, tensions between Moscow and the West have reached a post-Cold War high and there are growing fears of a major conflict in Eastern Europe.

Moscow insists it has no plans to invade, but is demanding wide-ranging security guarantees — including a ban on Ukraine ever joining NATO — in exchange for de-escalation.

Mr Blinken’s arrival Wednesday in Europe upped the diplomatic stakes, and after Kiev he was headed to Berlin for four-way talks with Britain, France and Germany to seek Western unity, and finally to Geneva on Friday for a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

An extra thank you to our @USEmbassyKyiv colleagues who have been working tirelessly on the ground in Ukraine. We appreciate you and your families’ sacrifices and hard work on behalf of the American people. Your safety and well-being are of the utmost importance. pic.twitter.com/9VV0G7DlAr

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) January 19, 2022

New US military aid

Speaking at the embassy shortly after he arrived, Mr Blinken warned that Russia could easily send more forces towards Ukraine.

“We know that there are plans in place to increase that force even more on very short notice, and that gives President Putin the capacity, also on very short notice, to take further aggressive action against Ukraine,” Mr Blinken said.

A senior US official meanwhile confirmed that the United States had authorised an additional $US200 million ($277 million) in security aid to Ukraine, on top of $US450 million ($623 million) already delivered by the Bidens administration.

“We are committed to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and will continue to provide Ukraine the support it needs,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

Stream your news live & on demand with Flash for $8/month and no lock in contracts. New to Flash? Try 14 days free now >

A Russian troop train transporting military vehicles arriving for drills in Belarus, against the backdrop of tensions between the West and Russia over neighbouring Ukraine. Picture: Belarus Ministry of Defence/AFP

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, is greeted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky before their meeting at the Bankova in Kiev on January 19. Picture: Alex Brandon/AFP

Mr Blinken later met with President Volodymyr Zelensky, who thanked Washington for its support, including the increased military assistance.

“We understand that to take steps quickly to modernise the army, we need help, especially in these … difficult times,” Mr Zelensky said.

Kiev has been battling pro-Russian forces in two breakaway eastern regions since 2014, when Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine, with more than 13,000 people killed so far.

On the streets of the separatist-held city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, residents said they hoped a broader conflict could be avoided.

“Talks are good, at least it’s not war,” Alexei Bokarev, a 77-year-old retired miner, told AFP in the city, where signs on Soviet-era buildings read “Glory to the Warriors of Liberation”.

“The guns are quiet and negotiations are going on, it means that there is some kind of a search for a solution. How will this end? Nobody can say,” he said.

Russian servicemen holding a traditional Belarus’ bread and salt upon their arrival for the joint drills in Belarus. Picture: Belarus Ministry of Defence/AFP

A warning prohibiting weapons inside a hotel in central Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, the capital of a self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic. Picture: Alexander Nemenov/AFP

‘Extremely dangerous situation’

As Mr Blinken left Washington, Ms Psaki warned of an “extremely dangerous situation” around Ukraine, with the White House Press Secretary saying “no option is off the table” in terms of a US response to an invasion.

Mr Lavrov on Tuesday said there would be no further negotiations until the West responds, in writing, to its demands for sweeping security guarantees.

As well as a permanent ban on Ukraine joining NATO, Moscow is demanding measures that would limit military activities in former Warsaw Pact and ex-Soviet countries that joined the alliance after the Cold War.

«Я дуже, дуже сподіваюся, що ми продовжимо рухатись дипломатичним та мирним шляхом, але в кінцевому підсумку це залежить від президента Путіна», – Державний секретар США Блінкен pic.twitter.com/yK4dYPb9wQ

— U.S. Embassy Kyiv (@USEmbassyKyiv) January 19, 2022

Washington has rejected the demands as “non-starters” and warned that any invasion of Ukraine would be met with severe economic countermeasures.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was still waiting for written answers to its proposals, but described Friday’s talks in Geneva as “extremely important”.

Tensions increased on Tuesday with the launch of joint military drills between the forces of Russia and ex-Soviet Belarus, which also neighbours Ukraine.

A US official said the exercises could presage a permanent Russian military presence involving both conventional and nuclear forces in Belarus.