Joe Biden believes Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine
Washington, February 19: Amid border tensions between Russia and Ukraine, the US President Joe Biden on Friday said that he believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine.
Speaking about the latest developments at the White House over Russia-Ukraine crisis, Joe Biden said, "As of this moment, I am convinced he's made the decision." Biden previously stated he did not believe the Russian leader had made up his mind but acknowledged his insights into Vladimir Putin's thinking were limited.
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In previous appearances over the past month, Joe Biden has suggested that Vladimir Putin's thinking was a mystery to almost everyone, indicating even top Russian advisers were in the dark as to his intentions.
Friday's comments marked a significant shift in the President's view and a far more definitive stance on his counterpart's plans. After his initial answer, Biden has pressed again whether he was convinced Russia's President had determined to go ahead with an invasion in Ukraine. "Yes," Biden said.
"We have reason to believe that Russian forces intend to attack Ukraine in the coming days. We believe that they will target Ukraine's capital Kiev," he added.
"We're calling out Russia's plans loudly repeatedly, not because we want a conflict but because we're doing everything in our power to remove any reason that Russia may give to justify invading Ukraine and prevent them from moving," said the US President.
Biden said there has been an uptick in Russian disinformation that could be used as a pretext for an invasion into Ukraine.
He said reports pushed to the Russian public that Ukraine is planning to launch an attack in separatist-controlled Donbas lacked evidence. He said those claims defied logic.
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-PTC News
