Russia has stationed nearly 80,000 troops on its border with Ukraine, and in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, Russian-backed separatists have recently intensified their attacks.
The buildup of troops is a message to Biden. Russia has already annexed Crimea from Ukraine, after a 2014 invasion. The 80,000 Russian troops is an attempt to strengthen Russia’s position in peace talks over the Donetsk region, potentially giving Putin more control over eastern Ukraine. He also laughs because he knows there is nothing the Biden can do about it.
Biden is all talk, calling Putin a “Killer”, but the latest sanctions stopped far short of what the U.S. could have imposed. “I was clear with President Putin that we could have gone further, but I chose not to do so,” Biden said when announcing them. “The United States is not looking to kick off a cycle of escalation and conflict with Russia.” Thank you Captain Obvious.