WASHINGTON (Washington Insider Magazine) – On Thursday night, President Joe Biden declared that the US would not tolerate even a “minor incursion” into Ukraine by Russian forces. Within minutes, Ukrainian officials responded with frustration, issuing back-to-back statements condemning Biden’s comments.
During Biden’s news conference, he said that he expected Russia to take begin taking steps toward Ukraine with the goal of invading. While clarifying his position on US engagement, he said, “It’s one thing if it’s a minor incursion and then we end up having a fight about what to do and not do, et cetera. But if they actually do what they’re capable of doing with the force they’ve massed on the border, it is going to be a disaster for Russia if they further invade Ukraine.”
While Biden did recommit American support for Ukraine, many critics saw his comments as giving the green light for Russia to move into Ukraine territory as long as there was no full-scale invasion.
Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy tweeted out, “We want to remind the great powers that there are no minor incursions and small nations. Just as there are no minor casualties and little grief from the loss of loved ones.”
Meanwhile, Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, told the Wall Street Journal, “Speaking of minor and full incursions or full invasion, you cannot be half-aggressive. You’re either aggressive or you’re not aggressive.”
Within hours, the White House released a statement that attempted to clarify Biden’s remarks, offering assurances that any incursion into Ukrainian territory by Russian forces would be met with “a swift, severe, and united response from the United States and our allies.”
Unfortunately, many within the Ukrainian government seem to feel like Biden’s clarifications were too little, too late. In their eyes, his statement about “minor incursions” possibly not requiring a military response opened the door for Vladimir Putin to move into Ukraine.
Ukraine has been at the center of conflict between the US and Russia for years, though tensions have flared more in recent months. It was even the source of talks between the two world powers coming to an impasse earlier this month.
For now, the world will watch to see what move Russia makes next.
