White House press secretary Jen Psaki defended President Biden's decision to supply Ukraine with $800 million worth of "defensive" weapons, rockets, and exploding drones while withholding offensive fighter planes to counter Russia's incursion.
At her regular briefing, David Sanger of the New York Times challenged Psaki on the distinction, stressing that even ground-based weaponry can take down Russian jets.
Jen Psaki Says President Joe Biden Calls Putin a "War Criminal"
Psaki claims that when President Joe Biden called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "war criminal," he was speaking "from his heart." As the horrors in Ukraine escalate and the leadership of the country begs the US to intervene, Biden dubbed Putin a war criminal.
It's the most vehement denunciation of Putin and Russian activities by a US official since Ukraine's invasion. Psaki also told reporters that the White House was aware of President Volodymyr Zelensky's calls for the United States. Congress should do more to support Ukraine's anti-Russian efforts.
Zelensky urged the US should penalize Russian legislators and prohibit imports during a live feed into the US Capitol building on Wednesday morning. Before and after his short words, which Zelensky began in Ukraine via a translator but then shifted to English in an emotional appeal to help halt the carnage, lawmakers gave him a standing ovation.
Nearing the three-week mark of an ever-escalating conflict, Zelensky is using the world's most powerful legislative bodies to persuade allied leaders to halt Russian bombings that are wreaking havoc on his nation. Psaki stated that talks with Russia are ongoing, noting that White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan met with his Russian counterpart, Nikolai Patrushev, PBS NewsHour reported.
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US Responds to Ukraine by Giving New Military Weapons
In an address to Congress on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called with the US to ease the transfer of 28 Soviet-designed fighter planes that Poland wishes to gift, a request that is backed by major members of both political parties. Last week, Biden sparked controversy by claiming that the jet transfer may lead to "World War III."
In response to Zelensky's request, Biden delivered a speech on Wednesday in which he announced fresh US weaponry supplies, including drones and shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles. Later, US authorities acknowledged that the assistance shipment will contain 100 Switchback drones, which can be remotely detonated as they approach a target.
At her briefing on Wednesday, Psaki stated that the Pentagon believes Ukraine's air force is enough and that additional fighter planes are not required. According to a senior US defense official, Ukraine still has 56 fighter planes capable of flying five to ten sorties each day within the nation.
It's unclear why Ukraine hasn't bombed a miles-long Russian convoy north of Kyiv. However, some analysts assume that Ukrainian officials are saving weaponry for a possible counterattack if enemy forces approach closer to the capital, as per New York Post.
The Biden Administration has recently made light of Russia's sanctions against a number of its senior leaders, as the Kremlin retaliates for new Western sanctions. President Joe Biden and 12 other US officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Press Secretary Jen Psaki, and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, were sanctioned by Russia's Foreign Ministry this week.
Hunter Biden, the son of Vice President Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State, were also on the list. The restrictions will prevent the officials from entering Russia and freeze whatever assets they may have within the country, which is unlikely to be much.
Psaki, on the other hand, noticed the irony in the impositions by pointing out a typo in a Kremlin news release. She joked that because Russian authorities omitted the junior suffix from President Biden's name it may have sanctioned his late father instead of the current US leader, according to Sky News.
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