Your Evening Briefing: Biden Raises Stakes Over a Russian War on Ukraine
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U.S. President Joe Biden, left, and Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, at the start of the U.S.-Russia summit in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 16. They met again, albeit virtually, on Tuesday as Putin massed troops on the border of Ukraine.
Photographer: Peter Klaunzer/EDAWith President Joe Biden already threatening major economic costs on Russia should Vladimir Putin attack Ukraine again, the Democrat had upped the ante even before he met virtually with the Kremlin leader on Tuesday. The U.S. plans to push Germany to stop the contested Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline if Putin goes to war. During the meeting, Biden also warned hat he may “provide additional defensive material to the Ukrainians, above and beyond that which we are already providing.” Russia, which has massed troops and weapons on Ukraine’s border for the second time this year, blames NATO as the root of its brinkmanship.
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