On Wednesday, President Joe Biden gave the nation a marathon press conference, marking the end of his first year in office.
There were likely two reasons why the presser lasted nearly 2 hours: Biden had a lot of explaining to do based on the sheer incompetence that his White House has displayed over the last several months, and there was certainly some showmanship involved as well, as Biden continues to struggle with a reputation for suspect mental acuity.
During the press conference, which covered a range of subjects, Biden touched on the issue surrounding Russia and Ukraine, and what he had to say was worrying.
President Joe Biden said Wednesday he thinks Russia will invade Ukraine and warned President Vladimir Putin that his country would pay a “dear price” in lives lost and a possible cutoff from the global banking system if it does.
Biden, speaking at a news conference to mark his one-year anniversary in office, also said a “minor incursion” by Russia would elicit a lesser response. He later sought to clarify that he was referring to a non-military action, such as a cyberattack, that would be met with a similar reciprocal response, and that if Russian forces cross the Ukrainian border, killing Ukrainian fighters, “that changes everything.”
But the comments also hinted at the challenge of keeping the United States and its NATO allies united in their response to Russia. In explaining the minor incursion remark, he said “it’s very important that we keep everyone in NATO on the same page.”
Biden’s comments were not welcomed kindly in Ukraine, where senior officials made it very clear that there is “no such thing as a minor incursion”.
