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Biden Strengthens Warning to Russia on Potential Ukraine Attack
President Biden said any movement of Russian forces across Ukraine’s border would be considered an invasion and met with a severe response by the U.S. and its allies. Mr. Biden’s warning came a day after he triggered alarm in Europe by suggesting there was division among allies.I’ve been absolutely clear with President Putin. He has no misunderstanding — if any, any assembled Russian units move across Ukrainian border that is an invasion. But it would be met with severe and coordinated economic response that I’ve discussed in detail with our allies, as well as laid out very clearly for President Putin. But there is no doubt — let there be no doubt at all — that if Putin makes this choice, Russia will pay a heavy price. It is also not the only scenario we need to be prepared for. Russia has a long history of using measures other than overt military action to carry out aggression and paramilitary tactics, so-called gray zone attacks and actions by Russian soldiers not wearing Russian uniforms. Remember when they moved to the Donbas, the little green men, they were, they were dealing with those who were Russian sympathizers and said that Russia had no nobody in there. Well, that includes little green men in uniforms as well as cyberattack. We have to be ready to respond to these as well and decisive in a united way with a range of tools at our disposal. The Ukrainian foreign minister said this morning that he’s confident of our support and resolve, and he has a right to be.President Biden said any movement of Russian forces across Ukraine’s border would be considered an invasion and met with a severe response by the U.S. and its allies. Mr. Biden’s warning came a day after he triggered alarm in Europe by suggesting there was division among allies.CreditCredit…Doug Mills/The New York TimesWith tens of thousands of Russian troops massed near the borders with Ukraine and President Biden warning that an invasion may be likely, the top U.S. and Russian diplomats were scheduled to meet in Geneva on Friday as the United States continues a furious diplomatic scramble to avert a potentially devastating new war in Europe.The talks — between Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov — come amid growing alarm over Russian threats to Ukraine and the West, and signs that the United States and Europe lack a fully coordinated plan to deter Moscow.President Biden told reporters on Wednesday that a “limited incursion” by Russia into Ukraine could prompt arguments among NATO members about a proportional response. Mr. Biden clarified the comment on Thursday, insisting that any Russian military move into Ukraine would provoke “a severe and coordinated economic response.”U.S. officials have low expectations for Mr. Blinken’s meeting with Mr. Lavrov. Three U.S. diplomatic engagements with Russian officials in Europe last week identified little common ground. Russia has publicly demanded that NATO pledge never to admit Ukraine as a member or expand farther east, that it withdraw troops from former Soviet bloc countries in Eastern Europe, and that the United States remove nuclear weapons positioned on the continent.Mr. Blinken said on Wednesday that many of the Russian demands were “clearly absolute non-starters,” but that the United States was willing to discuss reciprocal agreements with Russia involving arms control and military exercises.While Russia’s enthusiasm for those topics appears limited at best, Mr. Blinken said the session with Mr. Lavrov would be an opportunity to assess Moscow’s willingness to continue dialogue after “having gone through this initial diplomatic process, and having had a chance to review where things stood back home.” Both Mr. Blinken and Mr. Lavrov plan to speak to reporters separately about the meeting after its conclusion.Kremlin officials have insisted that the United States provide a written response to a formal proposal it issued last month with its demands. Mr. Blinken said this week that he would not bring a written document to his meeting with Mr. Lavrov, but did not rule out the idea; the Kremlin said on Thursday that it was willing to wait until next week for a written response.Mr. Blinken arrived in Geneva on Thursday night after two other hastily scheduled stops in Europe. Earlier that day in Berlin, he met with German, French and British officials for discussions about the crisis. On Wednesday in Kyiv, he met with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and provided assurances of further support from the United States, which has sent about $650 million in military aid to Ukraine over the past year.However reassuring Mr. Zelensky may have found the visit, Mr. Biden’s comments at his news conference later on Wednesday appeared to be a setback. “We want to remind the great powers that there are no minor incursions and small nations,” Mr. Zelensky wrote on Twitter the next day.