Confident Putin got the message,Biden on virtual meet

US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday putting American troops on the ground in Ukraine to deter a potential Russian invasion was "not on the table" .Speaking to reporters at the White House, Biden said he had made it clear to Russian President Vladimir Putin during his nearly two-hour virtual meeting on Tuesday that there would be economic consequences like none before if Russia invades Ukraine, and he is confident Putin got the message. Biden said he hoped that by Friday there would be an announcement of high-level meetings with Russia and at least four major NATO allies to "discuss the future of Russia's concerns relative to NATO writ large" and whether or not accommodations could be worked out as it related to "bringing down the temperature along the eastern front."

Biden said the United States had a moral and legal obligation to defend NATO allies if they are attacked, but that obligation did not extend to Ukraine. "There were no minced words," Biden said. "I made it very clear: if in fact he invades Ukraine, there will be severe conseq Biden said he made clear the United States would provide defensive capabilities to Ukraine as well.uences, severe consequences, economic consequences like none he's ever seen or ever have been seen," he said.