Biden: NATO-Russia Conflict Would Be “World War 3”, Warns Kremlin Of “Severe Price” If Chemical Weapons Used

During his relatively brief Friday speech on the Russia-Ukraine war, President Biden called for an end to normal trade relations with Russia, clearing the way for increased import tariffs, and announced a ban on Russian-made vodka and caviar, as we detailed earlier. 

But perhaps the most important part of the speech came when Biden once again pledged that the United States would not directly engage in conflict with Russia, as this scenario would lead to “World War III” between NATO and Russia – in the president’s words. 

Biden: “We will not fight a war against Russia in Ukraine. A direct confrontation between NATO and Russia is world war 3 — something we must strive to prevent. But we already know Putin’s war against Ukraine will never be a victory.” pic.twitter.com/gxxqxkgHHP

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 11, 2022

“We’re going to continue to stand together with our allies in Europe and send an unmistakable message. We will defend every single inch of NATO territory with the full might of the united and galvanized NATO,” Biden said after detailing some of the fresh anti-Russia sanctions.

“We will not fight a war against Russia in Ukraine. Direct conflict between NATO and Russia is World War III, something we must strive to prevent,” he stressed.

And at a moment that ‘false flag’ accusations continue to fly between Russia, Ukraine, and the US – Biden was asked a question by a reporter in the press pool at the moment he wrapped up the televised address over what the US response would be in the event Russia launched a “chemical weapons attack”.

“Would the U.S. have a military response if Putin does launch a chemical weapons attack?” the reporter questioned. 

Q: “Would the U.S. have a military response if Putin does launch a chemical weapons attack?”

President Biden: “Russia would pay a severe price if they use chemical weapons.” pic.twitter.com/BJy8mxsPDU

— CSPAN (@cspan) March 11, 2022

The exchange came days after Jen Psaki issued the below very unusual tweet, saying, “we should all be on the lookout for Russia to possibly use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine, or to create a false flag operation using them. It’s a clear pattern.”

Now that Russia has made these false claims, and China has seemingly endorsed this propaganda, we should all be on the lookout for Russia to possibly use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine, or to create a false flag operation using them. It’s a clear pattern.

— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) March 9, 2022

Biden’s answer on Friday was vague, saying he wouldn’t discuss specific intelligence, and then followed with, “Russia would pay a severe price if they use chemical weapons.”

The day prior, after Psaki warned of a potential Russian “pretext” for chemical attack, she said that “The President and our NATO partners have not changed their assessment about their plans to send U.S. troops in.”

I want to be clear: We will defend every inch of NATO territory with the full might of a united and galvanized NATO.

But we will not fight a war against Russia in Ukraine.

A direct confrontation between NATO and Russia is World War III. And something we must strive to prevent.

— President Biden (@POTUS) March 11, 2022

* * *

Days ago Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said in an interview that “Biden surely knows that a third world war would be nuclear”…

1/3 Russian FM Sergey Lavrov on Al-Jazeera: The West Is Responsible for the Ukraine Crisis – NATO Expanded Eastward, America Placed Bio-Military Labs in Ukraine; Biden Surely Knows that a Third World War Would Be Nuclear pic.twitter.com/7huvPTIY6h

— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) March 3, 2022