Biden Refuses to Make Concessions to Putin on Ukraine's NATO Membership Prospects

The US is ready to do what it did not do in 2014.

US President Joe Biden refused to make concessions to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the prospect of Ukraine's NATO membership during a video conference, and also said that the US is ready to do what it did not do in 2014. 

Ukraine in NATO

In its press release, the Kremlin officially acknowledged that during talks with Biden, Putin again demanded that Ukraine and other Russian neighbors not be admitted to the alliance, emphasizing the Ukrainian issue in particular. However, the Kremlin did not specify what answer Biden gave. 

Presidential national security adviser Jake Sullivan, at a White House briefing following the talks, said he also did not want to disclose the Russian side's statements in order to preserve the possibility of further frank discussions. 

Jake Sullivan
US National Security Advisor

But I can say clearly and directly that President Biden made no concessions on this issue and undertook no commitments. He insisted that other states must be free to choose with which (with which geopolitical bloc — ed.) they associate. 

The White House agreed to hold talks with Putin's team on how to address the Russian Federation's concerns about a possible accession of Ukraine to the alliance. 

Serious Consequences

Biden also warned Putin of serious consequences in the event of a military invasion of Ukraine. 

Jake Sullivan
US National Security Advisor

I will look you in the eye and tell you what President Biden looked President Putin in the eye and told him today: what we did not do in 2014, we are ready to do now. 

He noted that he would not publicly say which specific steps are under discussion, since the US wants to convey this directly to Russians. 

"But we are laying out in considerable detail for Russians the types of measures we have in mind. We are also coordinating very closely on this issue with our European allies. We have experts from the Treasury Department, the State Department and the National Security Council who are in daily contact with key capitals and Brussels to work out this package of measures," Sullivan said. 

US Defense Budget Draft

The US defense budget draft for fiscal year 2022 contains no proposal for sanctions against the Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which Republican senators are insisting on. 

Republican senators Bob Menendez and Jim Risch proposed an amendment providing for sanctions against the operator company Nord Stream 2 AG. 

Bob Menendez
Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations

It would be good to send a bipartisan, bicameral message now. Why don't we want Putin to understand what consequences he will face if he decides to start a new invasion of Ukraine?

Last week, the Senate was preparing to vote on two amendments that would impose harsh sanctions on Russia in the event of an invasion of Ukraine. However, some Senate Republicans objected to the final list of amendments, as a result of which Democratic leaders abandoned the traditional process and relied on the House and Senate Armed Services Committees to develop an agreed bill. 

This means that proposals similar to the Risch and Menendez amendment, which never received a vote in either chamber, were left unconsidered. 

The compromise budget draft provides for allocating $300 million to support Ukraine, which is $50 million more than Biden requested, including $75 million for lethal weapons. 

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said this provision on its own is a convincing signal of the US commitment to Ukraine's security. 

Chris Murphy
Democratic Senator

I don't think there is any doubt that if Russia continues its invasion, devastating sanctions supported by Republicans and Democrats will be imposed. I'm not sure how necessary it was for us to do this within the NDAA, given how confidently these sanctions can be expected to be imposed in the event of an invasion. 

Congressional Committee Hearings

At a hearing of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland said that in the event of a Russian military invasion of Ukraine, the US is considering imposing sanctions that would mean the complete isolation of Russia from the global financial system. 

Victoria Nuland
US Deputy Secretary of State

The measures we are discussing would in fact mean the complete isolation of Russia from the global financial system, with all the resulting consequences for Russian business and people, for their ability to work, travel and trade. 

She noted that US authorities are considering the full range of possible restrictive measures, but did not specify what those measures are. 

Nuland said the US expects Germany to halt the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project if Russia invades Ukraine. 

In addition, during her speech Nuland said that Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to go down in history by restoring the USSR. According to her, "Putin's public and private complaints about the collapse of the Soviet Union" have grown louder over the years, and this is causing concern in the US. 

She noted that over the past six months Putin has increasingly publicly said that "the sovereign state of Ukraine is in fact part of Russia, belongs to Russia, and so on." 

Victoria Nuland
US Deputy Secretary of State

What is worrying is that he seeks to recreate the Soviet Union as his legacy project, and then, who knows, whether his appetite will be satisfied with what he has eaten or whether he will go further. That is why I believe that unity in the Senate, unity in the House of Representatives, unity in the US, unity in Ukraine, unity with our NATO allies and partners, and the significant consequences we are talking about are so important and show that we are absolutely ready for this.