'US will not fight in Ukraine,' Biden repeats announcing escalation of sanctions on Russia

US President Joe Biden on Friday called Russia's invasion a "premeditated attack" on Ukraine and imposed new sanctions on the country. Biden called Putin the "aggressor" and said that his country will bear the consequences of sanctions. He also stated that NATO is united more than ever.

"President of Russia Vladimir Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war, and now he and his country will bear the consequences. Sanctions on 4 more Russian banks, including VTB," Biden said,

"Export controls will cut off more than half of Russia's high-tech imports. We're prepared to respond to Russia's cyberattacks," Biden said.

"This will impose severe costs on the Russian economy both immediately and over time," he said.

'US will not fight in Ukraine'

US President Biden also announced additional US forces' deployment in Germany and further resolved to strengthen NATO. He, however, reiterated that the US will not go to war with Russia or sent troops to fight in Ukraine.

"It's a large conflict already and how we're going to prevent it spiralling into an even larger conflict is by providing all forces needed in the Eastern European nations that are members of NATO," he said.

Biden informed that he has no plans to talk to Putin. "Putin's ambitions are completely contradictory to the place the world has arrived," he said.

Amid concerns of the Russian invasion causing a sharp rise in gas prices, Biden said that he will do everything to limit the pain of "American people at the gas pump. He said that he would release additional oil barrels from the strategic petroleum reserve if necessary."

In the previous first tranche of sanctions, Biden had targeted Vladimir Putin's inner circle, family members and two banks that hold relevance to the Kremlin and the Russian military. Apart from this, sanctions have been imposed on individuals as Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Person List. Biden administration has also prohibited any kind of investment in the breakaway region recognised by Russia.

Besides the US, the United Kingdom, European Union, Germany, Australia, Canada and Japan have also imposed economic sanctions on Russia.

Russia-Ukraine war

After President Vladamir Putin declared war on Ukraine, Russia has at the very least wiped out Ukrainian aerial combat ability and taken control of an airport 10km from Kyiv. In a televised speech, Putin urged Ukrainian troops to lay down their arms and return home. He called the conflict between Russia and Ukraine "inevitable", adding that special military operation was aimed at demilitarizing Ukraine.

The assault began hours before dawn with a series of missile attacks against locations near the capital Kyiv, as well as the use of long-range artillery against the city of Kharkiv, near the Russian border. It quickly spread across central and eastern Ukraine as Russian forces attacked the country from three sides. Several casualties have been reported on both sides.