https://edition.cnn.com/2022/01/19/politics/russia-ukraine-joe-biden-news-confer...





Kevin Liptak-Profile-Image

By Kevin Liptak, CNN

Updated 2320 GMT (0720 HKT) January 19, 2022



(CNN)President Joe Biden on Wednesday predicted Russia "will move in" to Ukraine, citing existential concerns by the country's president, Vladimir Putin, even as he acknowledged disunity within NATO over how to respond to a "minor incursion."
The candid assessment laid bare the struggle Biden faces in creating meaningful consequences and deterrents for Moscow, which remains closely intertwined economically with the United States' top European partners.
The remark elicited near-immediate outcry in Kyiv, where officials have been meeting with Biden's top diplomat as Russian troops amass on the country's border. High-level attempts to clean-up the comment soon followed at the White House.

While Biden vowed withering economic consequences on Russia should Putin send his troops over the frontier, including restricting its financial transitions in US dollars, he suggested Western nations were not in sync on what to do should a lesser violation occur.

"It's one thing if it's a minor incursion and we end up having to fight about what to do and not do," Biden told reporters at an East Room news conference. "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."

That's Putin's way of asking NATO nicely not to encroach any further towards Russia.

To give the devil his due, the deal was that if the USSR collapsed itself that NATO would not subsume ex-Warsaw Pact countries into NATO, which NATO agreed to, then reneged after the USSR's collapse.

MeisterEckhart wrote on Jan 20^th, 2022 at 9:47pm:



Is the world doomed to another huge European war?

Is this WW3?

Is it another sign of the End Times?

Bobby. wrote on Jan 20^th, 2022 at 9:49pm:

I doubt it.

It's not a war Russia would win.

And if Sweden and Finland are compelled to join NATO, Russia loses control of the Baltic.

Baronvonrort wrote on Jan 20^th, 2022 at 9:50pm:

Seems NATO didn't take the hint.

Baronvonrort wrote on Jan 20^th, 2022 at 10:01pm:



The other NATO countries like Germany don't want to lose the
gas pipelines to Russia.
That may stop NATO from joining in to protect Ukraine.

They also don't want to go to the Russian front in winter.
They have bad memories about it.

MeisterEckhart wrote on Jan 20^th, 2022 at 10:15pm:



Biden may let Putin walk right in just
like Hitler in Czechoslovakia.