Putin could be subject to personal sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine: President Biden
US President Joe Biden has said he would consider imposing personal sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin if Russia invaded Ukraine.
He said that if Russia invaded Ukraine, the move would have "serious consequences" for the world. President Biden's remarks come at a time when various Western leaders have repeatedly warned that Russia would have to pay a heavy price in the event of an attack on Ukraine.
Russia, meanwhile, has accused the United States and other Western nations of escalating tensions as Russia denies any alleged military action against Ukraine. However, Russia has about 100,000 troops stationed on the border with Ukraine.
The Kremlin says, ''it views NATO as a security threat.'' It has called on NATO not to move further towards the East, which includes its neighbor Ukraine. However, the United States has said that the issue at hand is Russian aggression, not NATO expansion.
Ahead of President Biden's statement, the Pentagon said that due to rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine, a contingent of about 8,500 US troops has been placed on high alert so that their deployment can be carried out on an emergency basis.
On Monday, US President Joe Biden made a video call with European allies. Western powers are working to develop a unified strategy in the face of possible Russian aggression against Ukraine.
The Pentagon has said, no decision has been made on whether to deploy US troops.
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said the "deployment" would only happen if NATO decided to activate an immediate response force against the presence of Russian troops or "if any other emergency arises."
He made it clear that there were currently no plans for US troops to be deployed in Ukraine.
Some NATO countries, such as Denmark, Spain, France and the Netherlands, are planning to send fighter jets and warships to Eastern Europe for defense or are in the process of doing so.
About 90 tonnes of US military aid was delivered to Ukraine on Saturday, including weapons for troops fighting on the front lines.
In addition to Biden, the video call included British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President McKeown, German Chancellor Olaf Schultz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Polish President Anze Doda and NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg. European leaders Arsala van Darren Lane and Charles Mitchell also took part.
Biden said,''It's been a very, very good meeting for me.I fully agree with the European leaders.''
A spokesman for Downing Street in London said the leaders had agreed on the importance of global unity in the face of growing Russian aggression.
He said that in the event of a Russian intervention, all leaders agreed on a "quick response from the Allies" which would include tough sanctions against Russia.
On Monday, Borns Johnson said that according to intelligence reports, Russia was planning air strikes on the Ukrainian capital, Kiev. He said,''Intelligence is clear that 60 Russian groups are on the border with Ukraine''. ''Everyone can see the plan for air strikes on Kiev.''
''We need to make it clear to the Kremlin and Russia that this could be a catastrophic move.''
What is the conflict between Russia and Ukraine?
The conflict between pro-Russian separatists and the Ukrainian military has been raging in eastern Ukraine since 2014, but a weak ceasefire has been in place.
Western and Ukrainian intelligence services estimate that the incursion or attack could take place in early 2022, after Russian troops have gathered on the border.
Russia, meanwhile, has accused NATO nations of "provoking" Ukraine with weapons, saying the United States was promoting tensions in the region.
Russia's main demand is for NATO to extend eastward. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said after recent talks that "it is important to ensure that Ukraine never becomes a member of NATO."