Biden said the United States would never recognize Ukrainian territory as anything other than part of Ukraine.
He added that Russia’s sham referendums were a false excuse to try to annex parts of Ukraine by force in flagrant violation of international law, including the UN Charter.
The US President also said that his country will work with its allies and partners to impose rapid and severe additional economic costs on Russia, and will continue to support the Ukrainian people and provide them with security assistance to help them defend themselves against the Russian invasion.
The four regions
On Friday, Russia began organizing a referendum aimed at annexing the four regions it occupies in Ukraine.
Voting is scheduled to continue in Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions, which represent about 15 percent of Ukraine’s territory, until next Tuesday. Voting centers were also provided in Moscow for residents of those regions who currently live in Russia.
Kyiv said voting is compulsory as residents face threats of punishment if they do not participate.
The vote on whether those regions will become part of Russia comes after Ukraine this month recaptured swathes of the northeast in a counter-offensive after the invasion that began on February 24.
On Wednesday, Putin said Russia would “use all available means” to protect itself, apparently referring to nuclear weapons.
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