Biden Holds 2-Hour Talks with Putin... Warns of "Strongest Response" if Ukraine Invaded (Summary)

Possibility of Military Confrontation Including US Troop Reinforcements Suggested
White House: "Capable of Responding Even if Occurs Alongside China's Taiwan Provocation"

U.S. President Joe Biden (right) is holding a summit via video conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the 7th (local time) in the White House Situation Room in Washington, D.C. Second from the right is Secretary of State Tony Blinken, and at the far left is White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. Washington, U.S. = Reuters/Yonhap News

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondents Baek Jong-min and Lee Hyun-woo] U.S. President Joe Biden warned during a virtual summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin that the U.S. could take a tough stance if Russia invades Ukraine. In addition to economic sanctions, he hinted at the possibility of military confrontation with Russia by strengthening military support for Ukraine and its neighboring allies.

The White House also emphasized that even if Russia's provocations in Ukraine occur simultaneously with China's provocations against Taiwan, the U.S. can handle both fronts at the same time, showing an unusually firm stance. Analysts suggest that it would be difficult for Russia to carry out a short-term adventurous military provocation like the forced annexation of Crimea in 2014.

On the 7th (local time), the White House stated regarding the virtual summit between President Biden and President Putin, "The two leaders held a 121-minute virtual meeting that day," adding, "President Biden conveyed the deep concerns of the U.S. and European allies about Russia's troop buildup near the Ukrainian border." It further stated, "President Biden made it clear that if Russia continues to increase its military forces, strong economic and other measures will be taken in response, and reiterated support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Jake Sullivan, White House National Security Advisor, said in a press briefing immediately after the summit, "President Biden emphasized that if Russia invades Ukraine, the U.S. will respond by reinforcing U.S. troops to allied countries nearby," and explained, "Unlike Russia's invasion of Crimea in 2014, the U.S. is now clearly warning that various countermeasures and sanctions against Russia are being prepared." This is interpreted as meaning that, in addition to economic sanctions such as blocking Russia's dollar payments reported earlier by Bloomberg News, the U.S. is also prepared for military confrontation.

He said, "I do not believe President Putin has decided to invade Ukraine," and emphasized that even if an emergency arises where Russia invades Ukraine and China invades Taiwan simultaneously, "the U.S. will take all actions necessary to defend Ukraine and Taiwan, and we have contingency plans."

He also hinted at operational sanctions on Nord Stream 2, the direct gas pipeline between Germany and Russia. Sullivan warned, "For Nord Stream 2 to operate smoothly, Russia must not invade Ukraine." According to CNBC, the U.S. government has reportedly requested Germany's cooperation to suspend Nord Stream 2 operations if Russia invades Ukraine.

In response to the Biden administration's tough stance, President Putin reportedly showed a somewhat defensive posture, demanding the halt of NATO's expansion. According to Russia's TASS news agency, during the summit, President Putin stated, "Russia is responding because NATO is making dangerous attempts to incorporate Ukraine and is increasing military forces near Russia's borders," and demanded "reliable and legally binding guarantees to stop NATO's expansion and prohibit the deployment of strike weapons in countries adjacent to Russia." However, the Biden administration reportedly did not accept these demands.

Experts analyzed that with the Biden administration conveying a tough stance, the likelihood of Russia invading Ukraine early next year has decreased. Michael Kofman, a Russia expert at the U.S. Naval Analysis Center (CNA), told the BBC, "If broad sanctions are implemented through cooperation between the U.S. and Europe, the damage Russia suffers will inevitably be greater than expected," adding, "While President Putin will not withdraw troops without any gains after mobilizing large forces immediately, he will feel the need to prepare more troops and military supplies, and with ongoing talks with the U.S., it will become difficult to invade Ukraine right away."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.