- Joe Biden said a Russian invasion of Ukraine could be the “largest invasion since World War II.”
- Biden said the US could sanction Vladimir Putin personally if an invasion went ahead.
- Russia previously warned that sanctioning Putin could lead to US-Russia ties being cut.
President Joe Biden said the US could put personal sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin if Russia were to invade Ukraine.
When asked by a reporter on Tuesday whether he’d consider targeting Putin personally with sanctions, he responded “yes,” the BBC and Bloomberg reported.
He said that if Russia invaded Ukraine, it would have “enormous consequences worldwide” and could be the “largest invasion since World War II.”
The US, Ukraine, and other Western governments have warned that Russia appears poised to invade. Ukraine says Russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops along the border.
The Pentagon put 8,500 US troops on heightened alert over the tensions.
Russia said earlier this month that Russia would break ties with the US if Putin were sanctioned.
Putin’s exact net worth is a mystery, but documents leaked last year suggested Putin had secret assets abroad in addition to his wealth in Russia.
Russia denies having plans to invade Ukraine.
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