US President Joe Biden today predicted that Russian President Vladimir Putin would attempt to invade Ukraine, while warning that a large-scale invasion would trigger a massive response that would cost Russia and its economy dearly.
“I think it will invade,” Biden told a news conference, referring to the scenario.
The US president stressed that he believed that his Russian counterpart would not want a “large-scale war” and warned of “heavy” losses on the battlefield and unprecedented “harsh” sanctions against the Russian economy.
Biden noted that the response of the United States and the West will depend on what Russia does, amid concerns in the United States that an attack on Ukraine could begin in a few days or weeks.
“Russia will be held accountable if it invades – and it depends on what it does. “It’s something different if it’s a small invasion and we end up in a dispute about what to do and what not to do, etc.,” said Joe Biden.
“But if they really do what they can do, it will be a disaster for Russia if it invades Ukraine further,” he added.
Biden and his entourage have prepared a package of sanctions to be imposed on Russia in the event of an invasion of Ukraine.
Russia has deployed tens of thousands of troops along its border with Ukraine and has demanded that NATO provide assurances that it will end its eastward expansion.
Punitive duties remain
The US government has no intention of lifting the hundreds of billions of dollars in customs duties imposed on Chinese products at this time, as Beijing is not living up to its commitments under a bilateral trade agreement, the US president has said.
Asked if US corporations were seeking to lift or suspend customs duties imposed on the days of Donald Trump’s predecessor, the US president said US Trade Representative (USTR) , is working on the issue.
He underscored the uncertainty over when his government might start lifting tariffs. “The answer is uncertain. “It’s uncertain,” he said during a news conference with the White House yesterday.
“I would like to be able to tell you that (the Chinese) are keeping their commitments, that they have already gone beyond their commitments, and that we are able to lift part of (the tariffs). “But we are not there yet,” he added.
On October 4, Kathryn Tai announced that Washington was holding “frank talks” with Beijing, with the aim of “rekindling trade tensions.”
However, he added that the punitive tariffs imposed by the previous US government on Chinese imports worth $ 370 billion annually remain in force while negotiations are underway. At the same time, he announced an exemption process, to help not Chinese companies, but American small and medium-sized enterprises that are severely affected by the over-tariff.
A few days later, he added that he had spoken with Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Liu He about Chinese trade practices, which Washington described as unscrupulous, with the aim of establishing a bilateral trade relationship that the parties would manage “responsibly.”
Since then, the US government has remained very vague about the progress that has been made, if any, in its talks with Beijing.
US does not consider it “yet” time to “abandon” negotiations with Iran
Joe Biden appeared moderately optimistic about the possibility of the international agreement on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear program being left out in the bitter negotiations under way in Vienna between the major powers and Tehran.
“It’s not yet time to abandon” these talks, which have recorded “progress”, even if “it is not certain” that they will bring results.
He assured that Washington has an “identical” view with the other parties to the agreement, formally the Joint Integrated Action Plan (JAP), which was signed in 2015 with Iran (Russia, China, France, United Kingdom, Germany). Former United States President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal three years later.
The agreement, signed when Joe Biden was vice president, offered Tehran a gradual lifting of suffocating international financial sanctions in exchange for a drastic reduction in its nuclear activities and ambitions, which came under close UN scrutiny.
But after Washington unilaterally withdrew, re-imposed and expanded US sanctions, Tehran began to progressively violate its commitments.
Talks resumed in Vienna in November with a view to Washington rejoining the CIS and Tehran returning to full compliance.
Although the beginning was difficult, a wind of optimism has been blowing in the Austrian capital for a few weeks now.
Russia voiced its “optimism” on Friday over the issue, while European Union foreign minister Giuseppe Borrell said it was “possible” to make great progress “in the coming weeks”.
Tehran, for its part, praised the apparent willingness of all parties to reach a “credible and stable” agreement.
The Iranian president was in Moscow yesterday for talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The latter welcomed the “close cooperation” of the two countries on the international stage.
Read more of our news
Follow Skai.gr on Google News
and be the first to know all the news
.
