President Biden
Joe BidenBiden Expected to Call for End to Normal Trade Relations with Russia Senate Prevents Shutdown, Transfers $0.6B in Ukraine Aid GOP Senators Urge Biden to Accelerate Transfer of Air Force and Air Defense Systems to Ukraine MORE Friday stressed that US and NATO allies are not Russia will fight in Ukraine, describing such a scenario as the “Third World War”.
“We are going to continue to stand with our allies in Europe and send the unmistakable message. We will defend every inch of NATO territory with all the might of a united and inspired NATO,” Biden said after the announcement of additional sanctions on Russia. . “We will not wage war against Russia in Ukraine. A direct conflict between NATO and Russia is World War III and we must strive to prevent it.”
The president’s comments were his harshest warning, as some pundits and journalists wondered what type of Russian escalation a US military response might trigger.
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Some lawmakers are pushing for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, which White House officials have ruled out because it would involve U.S. and allied forces that could shoot down Russian planes in Ukrainian airspace.
And several reporters in recent days have wondered if Russia’s use of chemical weapons would elicit a US military response.
But Biden and his team have consistently said they have no intention of sending US troops to Ukraine to fight Russia, warning that doing so is likely to lead to a protracted and potentially global war with another nuclear power.
“The President and our NATO partners have not changed their assessment of their plans to bring in US troops,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.
Jen PsakiBiden expected to call for severing normal trade relations with Russia Concerns about Russian chemical threat to Ukraine grow
On Friday, Biden said Russia would pay a “serious price” if it carried out a chemical weapons attack.