President Biden issued an explicit warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to not invade Ukraine as Washington seeks to reduce tensions between Moscow and Kyiv.
U.S. officials said Biden told Putin that Russia would suffer economic consequences if it launched a military incursion into Ukraine, while offering the option to de-escalate through diplomatic channels with the United States and other European countries.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Biden told Putin the U.S. would send additional defensive aid to Ukraine and provide more capabilities and potentially more U.S. forces to NATO’s eastern flank if Putin invaded Ukraine.
