Security crisis in Europe: White House calls Russia's actions the "beginning of an invasion"

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US President Biden (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin

Photo: MANDEL NGAN;

MIKHAIL METZEL / AFP

The US government has described Moscow's recognition of the so-called Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics and the planned deployment of Russian troops in the eastern Ukrainian regions as "the beginning of an invasion".

The United States is ready to respond with additional sanctions and countermeasures as Russia moves towards invading Ukraine, US President Joe Biden's Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer told CNN on Tuesday.

“An invasion is an invasion, and that's what's happening here.

But Russia has been invading Ukraine since 2014,” he said.

When asked by the CNN reporter why he wasn't fully calling Russia's recent actions an "invasion," Finer said he couldn't be more specific.

"This is the beginning of an invasion."

The US government plans to announce further punitive measures against Russia on Tuesday.

The United States has repeatedly threatened Russia with massive sanctions if it invades Ukraine.

The Biden government initially hesitated to use the term, reports the AP news agency, citing an unnamed official.

Accordingly, the White House wanted to wait and see what further action Russia would take.

After evaluating the Russian troop movements, however, it became clear that this was a new invasion.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of the separatist areas in eastern Ukraine, the self-proclaimed "People's Republics" of Donetsk and Luhansk.

In a televised speech, he also announced that Russian armed forces should ensure "peace" in the areas.

Agreements with the separatists provide for "mutual support" in the event of an "attack" and "joint protection" of the borders.

Putin demanded that Ukraine stop all military activities in the east of the country "immediately".

Otherwise, Kiev will bear "all responsibility for the possible continuation of the bloodshed."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in January: “If a Russian soldier enters Ukraine across the border, then we are dealing with a really profound problem, because that is a very clear attack on Ukraine, whether it is a soldier or a thousand."

US President Joe Biden previously caused confusion by saying that the response to a smaller number of Russian forces entering Ukraine could be different than to a full-scale attack.

He then tried to limit the damage.

asa/dpa/AP