Biden warns that a direct NATO-Russia conflict would result in "World War III"
Key Takeaways:
- At Russia's request, the United Nations Security Council will meet in an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the alleged manufacture of biological weapons in Ukraine.
- Despite many Ukrainians' desperate pleas, Biden stated that US forces would not fight in Ukraine.
On Friday, US President Joe Biden pledged that if Russia used chemical weapons in Ukraine, it would pay a "heavy price" while promising not to provoke Moscow into "World War III."
Biden reacted after Russia suspected Ukraine and the US of developing biological and chemical weapons, which Western countries believe is a ruse to set the stage for Moscow's use of such weapons in the conflict.
"I'm not going to discuss intelligence, but if Russia used chemicals, they would pay a heavy price," Biden said as he announced a slew of new sanctions against Moscow.
The UN Security Council will meet in an emergency meeting on Friday at Russia's request to discuss the alleged manufacture of biological weapons in Ukraine.
Biden also announced on Friday that normal trade relations with Russia would be terminated, increasing the pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin in the aftermath of the bloody invasion of Ukraine.
Like other Western countries, the US is sending millions of dollars worth of weapons to Ukraine, including anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles, as well as sharing intelligence.
Despite the desperate pleas of many Ukrainians, Biden reiterated that US forces would not fight in Ukraine.
"In Ukraine, we will not fight a war with Russia. A confrontation between NATO and Russia would be World War III, which we must work to avoid, "Biden stated the following.
In 2018, Moscow alleged the US was secretly trying to conduct biological weapons tests in a laboratory in Georgia, a former Soviet republic with aspirations to join NATO and the European Union as Ukraine.