Washington — President Biden is set to address the American people on Thursday afternoon after Russia launched what Ukrainian officials say is a “full-scale invasion”, and is expected to announce additional sanctions the U.S. and Western allies will impose on Russia in response to its aggressive actions.
Mr. Biden condemned what he called an “unprovoked and unjustified attack” on Ukraine in a late-night statement Wednesday after Russia began launching strikes against Ukrainian cities, including the capital of Kyiv. The president accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of choosing “a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering.”
Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service said Russian forces started breaking through the country’s border in the Kyiv region, and Oleksiy Arestovich, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said “dozens” of Ukrainian troops were killed amid Russia’s attacks.
Mr. Biden’s remarks, set for 1:30 p.m. ET in the East Room, follow a meeting with Group of 7 leaders, many of which joined the U.S. in issuing widespread condemnation of Russia’s full-scale attack on Ukraine, as well as a meeting with his National Security Council to discuss the latest developments in the crisis.
In an effort to deter Russia from taking further action in Ukraine, the U.S. rolled out a first tranche of sanctions after Putin recognized as independent the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine. The initial round targeted a pair of Russian banks and five members of Russia’s elite with ties to Putin, as well as the company building the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and its corporate officers.
But the Biden administration and Western leaders have warned a further escalation by Putin against Russia’s neighbor would trigger more severe sanctions, and the president said in a statement late Wednesday that the U.S. and allies will impose “further consequences” on Russia for its attack against Ukraine.