Russian advances in Ukraine are invasion, says White House

The White House on Tuesday began referring to Russian troop deployments in eastern Ukraine as a “invasion”, after initially hesitating to use the term, a red line that President Joe Biden had said would lead to the United States imposing harsh sanctions against Moscow.

Several European leaders claimed hours before that Russian troops have moved into rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized their independence, but some pointed out that it was not yet the dreaded actual invasion.

The White House, however, showed a shift in its own position.

“We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia’s most recent invasion of Ukraine.”, stated Jon Finer, senior deputy national security adviser. He said “latest” was important. “An invasion is an invasion and that’s what’s going on”.

The White House decided to start referring to Russia’s actions as a “invasion” due to the situation on the ground, added a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity to comment on internal deliberations.

The US government initially resisted labeling the troop deployment because the White House wanted to see what Russia was really going to do. After assessing Russian troop movements, it became clear that this was a new invasion, the official added.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki also referred to the Russian action as an invasion in a tweet, commenting on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s decision to suspend the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in response to the actions. From Russia.

The president of United States “made it clear that if Russia invaded Ukraine we would act with Germany to ensure that Nord Stream 2 does not proceed.”Psaki said.

For weeks now, Western powers have been warning of a possible invasion as Russia massed an estimated 150,000 troops on three sides of neighboring Ukraine.

They warned that an attack would cause many casualties, fuel shortages in Europe and economic chaos around the world, and pledged swift and severe sanctions if it materialized. The European Union (EU) and Britain announced on Tuesday that some of those measures were coming.

Western leaders have long warned that Moscow would seek a pretext to invade, a pretext that appeared to materialize on Monday, when Putin recognized as independent two breakaway areas in eastern Ukraine where government troops have fought U.S.-backed rebels. Russia, in a conflict that has caused the death of more than 14,000 people.

The Kremlin raised the stakes even higher on Tuesday, announcing that its recognition extends even to large areas now held by Ukrainian forces.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia has recognized the independence of the rebellious regions “on the borders that existed when they proclaimed” gained independence in 2014, vast territories stretching far beyond the areas now under rebel control, including the major Black Sea port city of Mariupol.

Putin’s announcement to recognize the territories’ independence opened the door for him to formalize his control over them and send in forces, though Ukraine and its Western allies have accused Russian troops of having been fighting there for years. Moscow denies those accusations.

Reactions of condemnation were swift throughout the world.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would consider breaking off diplomatic ties with Russia, and Kiev withdrew its ambassador from Moscow.

But confusion over exactly what was happening in eastern Ukraine threatened to hamper the Western response. Although the United States clearly called it an invasion, some other allies reacted with restraint.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in Paris that “Russian troops have entered Donbas,” the name of the area where the two breakaway regions meet. “We consider Donbas part of Ukraine,” he added.

But in a distinction that could complicate a European and Western response, he added: “I wouldn’t say it’s a full-fledged invasion, but Russian troops are on Ukrainian soil.”