US President Joe Biden [사진 제공: 연합뉴스]
US President Joe Biden said he had evidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin was determined to invade Ukraine.
President Biden said in a speech at the White House on the 19th that “Russia continues to build up its forces around the Ukrainian border.”
“I have reason to believe that Putin made the decision to invade Ukraine,” Biden said.
“If Russia goes ahead with the plan, it will be a catastrophic choice, and the United States and its allies are prepared to defend even the last piece of NATO territory,” he said.
He also condemned Russia for leaking false information to justify an invasion.
But President Biden said, “Russia can still choose diplomacy, and it is not yet too late to take measures to ease tensions and return to negotiations.”
In the afternoon of the same day, President Biden had a phone call with heads of state, including French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and discussed the situation in Ukraine.
The White House said, “The leaders expressed their deep concern over Russia’s military expansion and reaffirmed their strong support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.” agreed,” he said.
