President Joe Biden says that the United States will not send troops to Ukraine but that the country will defend every inch of NATO member state territory.
“NATO is more determined than ever, and will do everything to defend the alliance’s member countries. An attack on one is an attack on all,” Biden said when he gave a speech in connection with the war in Ukraine on Thursday.
He also said that the United States would send more troops to Germany to strengthen NATO in the face of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“We are preparing several measures if it becomes necessary to defend our member countries,” he said.
Sanctions
Biden also presented a package of strong sanctions against Russia.
“Putin chose this war. Now he and his country must bear the consequences,” Biden said in a speech to the nation on Thursday night Norwegian time.
In his speech, he presented a package of strong sanctions.
“This will inflict high costs on the Russian economy, both immediately and over time. We have deliberately designed these sanctions so that they maximize the long-term impact on Russia and minimize the impact on the United States and our allies,” Biden said.
He stressed that the sanctions are coordinated internationally so that Russia’s ability to carry out transactions in dollars, pounds, euros, and yen will be severely limited.
These are some of the sanctions Biden wants to impose:
* The United States imposes new restrictions on what can be exported to Russia.
* Four new Russian banks will be blocked.
* A number of members of the Russian elite will be subject to personal sanctions.
“These are people who personally benefit from the Kremlin’s policy. They should share the pain,” Biden said.
Background: Russian attack on Ukraine
In the middle of the night, around 4 AM Norwegian time, in an extraordinary television address, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia was launching a military operation in Ukraine.
Putin announced the attack on Ukraine during an extraordinary session of the UN Security Council.
Ukraine has closed its airspace to civilian flights.
Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews
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After pushing the Russians into this, denying them a fair security treaty, something *sensible* from Joe?
Yes, of course we will defend NATO countries, including the Baltics. That has never been in doubt.