WH Belatedly Declares Russian ‘Invasion’ Underway, but Reaction Is a Day Late and a Dollar Short – Opinion

I wrote on Monday night how the “chickens of weakness had come home to roost for Joe Biden,” when it came to Russia and Ukraine. Joe Biden has done everything but physically bend over and say, “Thank you, sir, may I have another?” in his relationship with Vladimir Putin.

Even after Putin issued a declaration recognizing Donetsk and Luhansk, two regions of Ukraine, as independent nations — a prelude to invasion — Biden’s response was weak in the extreme. They would also prohibit Americans trading in these two areas, he said. One senior official in the administration even stated that it was possible for units to move into the zone without triggering the severe, threatened sanctions.

SAO: “Russian troops moving into Donbas would not itself be a new step. Russia has had forces in the Donbas for the past 8 years.” But the SAO did say there will be additional sanctions imposed tomorrow.

— Ali Rogin (@AliRogin) February 21, 2022

Putin — who was likely gauging the response — knew that was nothing. That was followed quickly by news reports that military units were moving into the region on Monday night.

Even more late than expected, the Biden Administration responded to this. They finally got around to it Tuesday, saying now an “invasion” was underway, and that “swift and severe sanctions” would now come into play.

Jonathan Finer, Deputy NSA

“We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia’s latest invasion into Ukraine.” pic.twitter.com/205jqZjYKA

— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) February 22, 2022

Fox News was told by a White House official that officials in the administration are calling it an invasion.

“The invasion has begun,” the official said. “So our sanctions response has begun.”

Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer, during an interview on CNN Tuesday morning, was pressed on whether Russia’s latest activities would be considered an invasion.

“We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia’s latest invasion into Ukraine, and you’re already seeing the beginning of our response that we have said will be swift and severe,” Finer said.

When pressed again, Finer said: “I hear an invasion as an invasion and that is what is underway.”

But Finer noted that Russia has been “invading Ukraine since 2014” and have been occupying a “large piece” of Ukraine since then as well.

“Although they have denied it, Russian troop presence in exactly the two—what they call republics, but they’re really provinces of a sovereign Ukraine—that they recognized yesterday,” Finer said, referring to Putin’s recognition of the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk.

“So, Russia is essentially making overt what it has denied for some time, which is Russian troop presence in these places, and we’re taking steps in response to that,” Finer said.

Finer called the actions an invasion when Finer was pressed further.

“I mean, again, I guess for the third or fourth time, I am calling it an invasion,” he said. “We are taking a severe response, including sanctions on Russia that will be rolling out in a matter of hours.”

Finer claimed that there would be additional sanctions. Germany already stated that it will stop Nord Stream 2 and the White House indicated they are willing to do the same.

“We have been in close consultations with Germany overnight and welcome their announcement,” Psaki said. “We will be following up with our own measures today.”

It was nice for them to get to sanctions when Putin has already deployed troops. Can we say “a day late and a dollar short”? They could have fought this off, and even in January they had months when Nord Stream 2 could not be stopped. This would have been a sign of their strength. But they didn’t. Putin seems to think they are now able to see the spine.