Biden: Any movement of Russian troops into Ukraine will be considered an invasion

Joe Biden said Thursday that any movement of Russian forces into Ukraine would be considered an invasion, something he unequivocally warned Russian President Vladimir Putin about.

“I spoke to President Putin very clearly, he has no misunderstanding. If any Russian units cross the Ukrainian border, it is an invasion,” Biden told reporters at the White House.

Such an invasion, he said, would be met with a “stern and coordinated response,” which has been discussed at length with U.S. allies and “has been made very clear to Putin.”

“Let there be no doubt: if Putin makes this choice, Russia will pay a high price,” he added.

Russia has concentrated tens of thousands of troops on its border with Ukraine, and Western nations fear Moscow is planning another invasion. Russia denies this.

According to Biden, Washington is keeping a watchful eye on the situation in case other scenarios develop.

“Russia has repeatedly used measures other than overt military action to carry out aggression in the past. Militarized tactics, so-called attacks in the gray zone and the actions of Russian soldiers not wearing Russian uniforms,” he said.

Biden also mentioned actions such as cyberattacks and the deployment of “green men.”

“We must also be prepared to respond to such actions in a decisive and united manner, using the full range of tools at our disposal,” Biden added.