US President Joe Biden has issued a fresh warning to Russia that it will have to "pay a heavy price" if its military move across the Ukrainian border which will be considered an "invasion".
The US has warned that Russia, which has amassed tens of thousands of troops near the Ukrainian borders, could launch an invasion at any point, AFP reports.
Biden on Thursday told reporters that he has been absolutely clear with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“If any assembled Russian units move across the Ukrainian border, that is an invasion and would be met with a severe and coordinated economic response that I've discussed in detail with our allies and laid out very clearly for President Putin,” he said.
"Let there be no doubt at all that if Putin makes this choice, Russia will pay a heavy price," the US president warned, a day after he predicted that Russia "will move in" on Ukraine and warned of a "disaster for Russia".
Biden stressed being prepared about cyberattacks, "gray-zone" attacks, and actions by Russian soldiers not wearing their own uniforms.
He alleged that Russia has a long history of using measures other than overt military action to carry out aggression. "Remember when they moved into the Donbas with 'Little Green Men'? They were dealing with those who were Russian sympathizers and said that Russia had nobody in there," he said.