Ukrainian official criticizes “Shocking… Putin’s invasion ‘green light’ on”
NSC spokesperson, White House evolved… “Cyber attack, etc.” Explanation
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during an official press conference at the White House in Washington, DC, on the eve of his first anniversary on January 19, 2022. [UPI 연합뉴스, 재판매 및 DB 금지]
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Hwang Chul-hwan = US President Joe Biden sparked controversy on the 19th (local time) when he said that he would adjust the level of sanctions according to the intensity of Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
The remarks came during a press conference to mark the one-year anniversary of Biden’s inauguration.
He said Russia was likely to attack Ukraine, warning that if it did, Russia would face sanctions of unprecedented intensity.
“If it’s ‘a minor incursion’, that’s a different thing,” he said.
In response to this remark, it was interpreted that the US could decide the level of response according to the intensity of the attack without reflexively strong and decisive sanctions against Russia’s military action against Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials, who may have to fight Russia right away, could not hide their embarrassment.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) of the former Soviet bloc in Moscow on January 10, 2022. [로이터 연합뉴스자료사진, 재판매 및 DB 금지]
A Ukrainian official told CNN that “I am shocked that President Biden is trying to differentiate between incursion and invasion.” pointed out
He criticized, “This is a ‘green light’ that turned on Putin to let Putin enter Ukraine at will,” he said.
As the controversy arose, the U.S. government hurriedly embarked on the evolution.
White House National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horn said in a tweet that “President Biden was referring to the differences between Russian military and paramilitary personnel and cyber activity.” We will face a mutual response through cooperation between countries,” he said.
The small-scale invasion that President Biden referred to seems to mean that he was referring to a cyberattack, etc., not to the entry of Russian troops into Ukraine.
However, despite these explanations, some pointed out that it is unclear what Russia will do if it uses paramilitary agents or pro-Russian rebels to wage a so-called ‘hybrid war’.
Demonstrators protest Russian President Vladimir Putin’s deployment of Russian troops to the Ukrainian border in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv (Russian name Kiev), on January 9, 2022. [AP 연합뉴스자료사진, 재판매 및 DB 금지]
The statement issued by the White House on the same day also contained content that could be viewed as an explanation for the controversy.
White House Press Secretary Jen Saki said in a statement: “President Biden has made it clear to the President of Russia that if any Russian troops cross the Ukrainian border, it will be a re-aggression and will face a rapid and harsh joint response from the United States and its allies. “he said.
“President Biden knows from long experience that Russia employs a wide range of offensive tactics, including cyberattacks and paramilitary operations, that fall short of the standards of military action,” he said. “We have affirmed that we will face a reciprocal and coordinated response.”
The Hill, an American political media outlet, interpreted that Biden himself was trying to correct his remarks during the press conference.
According to the media, he told reporters asking about the true meaning of the ‘small intrusion’, “Large sanctions related to dollar-denominated transactions can have a negative impact on the European economy as well as the US. “He said.
It also explained that if Russia launches a cyberattack, for example, instead of mobilizing its military to invade Ukraine, the United States and its allies will also respond by retaliating with a cyberattack.
Russian armored vehicles drive along a highway in the Crimean peninsula on January 18, 2022. [AP 연합뉴스자료사진, 재판매 및 DB 금지]
But US foreign policy experts and Republican lawmakers strongly criticized Biden’s comments.
Richard Haas, president of the American Foreign Relations Association (CFR), in a tweet, said, “I understand the logic of the president’s suggestion that ‘I believe Russians will enter Ukraine’ and implying that if the scale is relatively small, the price to be paid may be small. can’t,” he said.
“Even if it is true, such statements will weaken the deterrence (against Russia) and reduce the likelihood of diplomatic achievements,” he said.
Senator James Inhoff (Republican) of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee tweeted: “I am deeply concerned about the weak and inconsistent message I have just encountered about Ukraine.”
Rep. Michael McCall (Republican) on the House Foreign Relations Committee also criticized “It will not only convince Putin that he can get away with more hostilities, but it will also encourage his adversaries (like the Chinese Communist Party) to do the same.”
The Hill noted that the controversy arose when US Secretary of State Tony Blincoln was scheduled to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Geneva, Switzerland on the 21st to discuss the Ukraine crisis.
The controversy has deepened concerns among Ukrainian officials that the US and its allies may not be able to take a strong enough response against Russia.
hwangch@yna.co.kr
<저작권자(c) 연합뉴스,
Unauthorized reproduction-redistribution prohibited>
2022/01/20 16:09 Send
