Speaking to the press on Friday about Intel’s planned semiconductor factory in Ohio, President Biden concluded his remarks, then dodged any questions about Russia by saying, “By the way, the reason we’re not going to have any time for questions now is these guys got to get quickly on a plane and go out and do a major announcement in Ohio. And you guys will ask me all about Russia and not about anything having to do with chips.”
Biden triggered widespread condemnation after his remarks regarding Russia at Wednesday’s press conference.
A reporter asked, “Your top foreign policy advisors have warned that Russia is now ready to attack Ukraine. But there’s still little unity among European allies about what a package of sanctions against Moscow would look like. If the U.S. and NATO aren’t willing to put troops on the line to defend Ukraine and American allies can’t agree on a sanctions package, hasn’t the U.S. and the West lost nearly all of its leverage over Vladimir Putin? And given how ineffective sanctions have been in deterring Putin in the past, why should the threat of new sanctions give him pause?”
“Well, because he’s never seen sanctions like the ones I promised will be imposed if he moves, number one,” Biden answered. “Number two, we’re in a situation where Vladimir Putin is about to — we’ve had very frank discussions, Vladimir Putin and I. And the idea that NATO is not going to be united, I don’t buy. I’ve spoken to every major NATO leader. We’ve had the NATO-Russian summit. We’ve had other — the OSCE has met, et cetera.”
Then he burbled, “And so, I think what you’re going to see is that Russia will be held accountable if it invades. And it depends on what it does. It’s one thing if it’s a minor incursion and then we end up having a 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 ingra- — invade Ukraine, and that our allies and partners are ready to impose severe costs and significant harm on Russia and the Russian economy.”
When asked later to clarify what he meant by “minor incursion,” Biden said he drew the line at “Russian forces crossing the border, killing Ukrainian fighters,” CNN reported.
As The Daily Wire reported, “Biden’s comments were widely interpreted as giving a green light to Putin.”
Source close to Zelensky admin on Biden’s Russia/Ukraine remarks: “The fallout [in Kyiv] will be nuclear.”
— Alex Ward (@alexbward) January 19, 2022
CNN: Kyiv officials “shocked” and “stunned” by Biden’s statement on a potential Russian invasion. Great work, Mr. President.
— Abe Greenwald (@AbeGreenwald) January 19, 2022
CNN chyron: "Ukrainian official 'shocked' Biden would give 'green light' to Putin"
— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) January 19, 2022
Did Biden just invite Putin into eastern Ukraine? Minimizing a “minor incursion”?
— Terry Moran 🇺🇸 (@TerryMoran) January 19, 2022
Biden is attacking the legitimacy of American elections while signaling Putin to try a "minor incursion" in Ukraine. None of this is normal. None of this is OK.
— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) January 19, 2022
Biden just told Putin a “minor incursion” into Ukraine is basically ok.
What kind of answer was that? No incursion is ok.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) January 19, 2022
Did Biden just give a green light to Putin for a "minor incursion?"
— Tom Bevan (@TomBevanRCP) January 19, 2022
CNN: Kyiv officials say Biden gave “green light” to Putin today.
— Abe Greenwald (@AbeGreenwald) January 19, 2022
On Thursday, Biden offered, “I’ve been absolutely clear with President Putin. … He has no misunderstanding: Any, any assembled Russian units move across the Ukrainian border, that is an invasion.”
On Friday, asked if the situation was closer or further to war, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told ABC’s “Good Morning America,” “You have to ask President Putin. It’s ultimately going to be President Putin who decides what Russia will do,” The Daily Mail reported.
Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated, “We’re not afraid of anyone, even not of the U.S.”