Joe Biden Says Ukraine Invasion Remains “Distinctly Possible”: “If Russia Proceeds, We Will Rally The World To Oppose Its Aggression”

President Joe Biden said that a Russian invasion of Ukraine remains “distinctly possible,” as he made further warnings to Moscow of its implications while holding out the possibility of a diplomatic solution.

“If Russia proceeds, we will rally the world to oppose its aggression,” Biden said, promising that the U.S. and its allies were ready to impose “powerful sanctions.”

While CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC and BBC World News carried the President’s remarks live, only ABC and Fox broke into network daytime programming for the speech from the White House. NBC continued its ongoing Beijing Winter Olympics coverage and CBS had the UEFA Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.

Biden said that Russia has amassed 150,000 troops along the border and that even though the Russian defense minister reported that some military units have left their positions, that had not yet been verified.

“Indeed, our analysts indicate that they remain very much in a threatening position,” Biden said.

The White House already has called for Americans in Ukraine to leave the country, while it has temporarily relocated its embassy in Kyiv to the western part of the country, in the city of Lviv.

Biden said that there was still “plenty of room for diplomacy and de-escalation,” and said that the U.S. and its allies are proposing new arms control, transparency and strategic stability measures. “We will not sacrifice our basic principles, though,” he said, alluding to U.S. opposition to Russia’s demand that Ukraine be prohibited from entering NATO.

“Nations have a right to sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said. “They have the freedom to set their own course and choose with whom they will associate.”

Biden’s speech came as network coverage has shifted to the escalating situation, with outlets dispatching additional correspondents and anchors to the region.

The president said that he would not send American service members to fight in Ukraine, even though the U.S. has supplied the Ukrainian military and has provided training and intelligence. Biden has sent additional troops to bolster the eastern flank of NATO, and he said that if Russia invades, further troops would be sent to bolster the U.S. presence.

He also warned that there could be “consequences here at home,” warning of an increase in energy prices.

“We’re not seeking direct confrontation with Russia, though I have been clear that if Russia targets Americans in Ukraine, we will respond forcefully. If Russia attacks the United States or our allies through asymmetric means, like disruptive cyberattacks against our companies or critical infrastructure, we are prepared to respond.”