US warns Russia of crippling sanctions if it invades Ukraine

WASHINGTON: The greetings at the top of the meeting were convivial enough. Video footage released by Kremlin showed United States President Joe Biden and his Russia's President Vladimir Putin exchange wide smiles and warm opening words as they met virtually on Tuesday morning. But outside of the velvety civility, there was little doubt that iron fists were bared.
The outcome of the talks was expressed in measured tones by a White House readout that said President Biden "voiced the deep concerns of the United States and our European Allies about Russia’s escalation of forces surrounding Ukraine and made clear that the US and our Allies would respond with strong economic and other measures in the event of military escalation".
"President Biden reiterated his support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and called for de-escalation and a return to diplomacy. The two presidents tasked their teams to follow up, and the US will do so in close coordination with allies and partners. The presidents also discussed the US-Russia dialogue on Strategic Stability, a separate dialogue on ransomware, as well as joint work on regional issues such as Iran," the White House said.
At the heart of the rising tensions that precipitated the virtual call is what US intelligence reports say is Russia's imminent intent to invade Ukraine, evident in thousands of troops massed on its borders. Ahead of the meeting, US officials said President Biden will warn Putin of severe sanctions if it goes ahead with any invasion, one that would extract a "very real cost" on the Russian economy.
On its part, Russia wants a guarantee that the US-led Nato military alliance will never expand to include Ukraine.
“We’ve consulted significantly with our allies and believe we have a path forward that would impose significant and severe harm on the Russian economy. You can call that a threat. You can call that a fact. You can call that preparation. You can call it whatever you want to call it," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday ahead of the meeting in a strikingly candid preview if the call.
The call took place hours after Putin's lightning five-hour visit to New Delhi, during which Russia and India strengthened their military ties despite the latter's burgeoning defence relationship with Washington. There was no indication that India was among the countries consulted over the Ukraine crisis even as the US readies to impose sanctions on Moscow that could have a cascading effect on the world economy.
Among the more extreme steps the Biden administration is said to be considering if Russia invades Ukraine, which was part of the undivided USSR before the Soviet Union broke up, is disconnecting Moscow from global banking systems and denying Russian energy producers access to financial markets. Putin has said in the past that Russians and Ukrainians are one people, and Ukraine had no basis to be a separate country before it was separated from Russia by the west.
Recent US intelligence report estimate that Russia could begin a military offensive in Ukraine in a matter of months as it has amassed up to 175,000 troops along the Ukraine border. Moscow has also erected supply lines, including medical units and fuel, should there be a long drawn conflict with resistance from Kyiv. Ukraine's defence minister Oleksiy Reznikov has said there would be a 'bloody massacre' if there is a Russian invasion with up to five million refugees fleeing into Europe.
At home, Biden is being mocked by right-wing militarists even before the meeting with Putin, with memes and one-liners showing him to be a weak President who will be unable to stand up to Putin. Biden supporters in turn are accusing the Republican Party of aligning with Putin -- "as it has done since the start of the Trump presidency" -- by blocking confirmation of the President's national security nominees. Republican counterpoint: Putin got away with his invasion of Crimea during the Obama presidency, emboldening him to consider invading Ukraine.
The US now faces what is virtually a two-front crisis with China too getting pushy to the extent of setting up an Atlantic naval base in Equatorial Guinea in West Africa, causing alarm in Washington. Militarists are urging Biden to get tough amid a growing perception that the US power projection is declining.
"This meeting (between Putin and Biden) is very important, because I’m convinced that the reason why we have acceleration from China, from Iran and from Russia is there’s a perception that this presidency and this administration is more about accommodation and appeasement than about confronting and countering the strategic objectives of these three adversary countries," retired army general Jack Keane told Fox News.