Ukraine hits back at Biden amid Russia tensions

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has hit back at comments made by his US counterpart Joe Biden about a “minor incursion” by Russia into his country.

Mr Biden had suggested that a “minor” attack might bring a weaker response from the US and its allies.

But Mr Zelensky tweeted: “There are no minor incursions. Just as there are no minor casualties and little grief from the loss of loved ones.”

Russia has some 100,000 troops near the border but denies planning an invasion.

President Vladimir Putin has made a series of demands to the West, insisting Ukraine should never be allowed to join Nato and that the defensive alliance abandons military activity in eastern Europe.

On Wednesday, President Biden told a news conference that Mr Putin would pay a “serious and dear price” for invading Ukraine, but also indicated that it might depend on how Russia went about it.

“What you’re going to see is that Russia will be held accountable if it invades and it depends on what it does,” he said. “It’s one thing if it’s a minor incursion, and then we end up having to fight about what to do and not do etc.”

His comments prompted questions over how the US might respond to Russian aggression and officials have been rushing to clarify Washington’s position.

“We have been very clear throughout,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday, adding that any Russian incursion into Ukraine would be met with a “swift, severe and united response” from the US and its allies.

On Thursday, Mr Biden himself said that any entry of Russian troops would count as an “invasion”.