White House says Putin’s actions constitute ‘beginning of an invasion’
(Crédito: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Pressed by CNN’s Brianna Keilar on whether the United States defines Russia’s President Vladimir Putin’s recognition of two breakaway regions in Ukraine as an invasion, Senior Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer responded in affirmative tone.
“We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion. Russia’s most recent invasion of Ukraine,” she said. And he added that the sanctions imposed on Monday are the “beginning” of the US response.
When asked if there was a distinction between the start of the most recent invasion and a full invasion, Finer evaded the issue.
“I think ‘latest’ is important here. An invasion is an invasion, and that is what is happening. But, Russia has been invading Ukraine since 2014,” she said.
And then he called it the “beginning of an invasion” once more.
CNN played videos of various officials, including President Joe Biden, who previously defined an invasion as any movement of Russian troops across the Ukraine border.
“I call it an invasion. We are taking a severe response, including sanctions on Russia that we will implement in a matter of hours,” Finer said, pointing to the next steps expected on Tuesday.
Pressed on whether the upcoming sanctions are the “swift and tough” measures that US officials have promised, Finer suggested that the US has planned “sanctions waves”.
“Whether or not it is deterred, this will impose significant costs and consequences on Russia for what it has done. We have always envisioned waves of sanctions that would develop over time in response to steps Russia actually takes, not just statements they make. We have always said that we will observe the situation on the ground and give a swift and severe response in accordance with Russia’s actions. Today, we have already started those actions in response and we have more that we will implement in a matter of hours,” she said.
He also noted that the United States reserves the right to impose additional measures if Russia moves forward.
“We envision waves of sanctions that we would apply to Russia if it continues to take steps toward war, and we believe they are. We have said that there is another way to do this, they might exercise diplomacy. The action they took yesterday was a big step, frankly, away from diplomacy and toward conflict. And we are going to impose sanctions in response to that,” she said.
