White House responds to Putin's threats, calling it dangerous rhetoric but not a new one

Russian leader Putin's threats that allowing Ukraine to launch Western missiles against Russia would mean direct involvement of NATO and European countries in the war in Ukraine is very dangerous rhetoric, but it is nothing new.

Source: White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre during a briefing on 13 September; Voice of America

Quote: "His [Putin’s] comments about NATO and the U.S. more specifically — look, that kind of rhetoric certainly is dangerous and — but it’s not new. It’s not new for Russia. Matter of fact, it has been the mainstay of Russian propaganda throughout this war that they’ve had. This is their war that they’ve had in Ukraine. This is their aggression. This is what they have done."

Details: She repeated the message that the war in Ukraine could end the moment Russia withdraws its troops from Ukraine.

At the same time, the White House said that the US policy on strikes deep into Russia with US weapons remains unchanged, and no major announcements are expected today after US President Joe Biden meets with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Background:

• On 12 September, Putin stressed that any move by the West to allow Kyiv to use such long-range weapons against targets in Russia would draw NATO into the war with Russia, a sharp escalation of his rhetoric on the war.
• In response to Putin's intimidation, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that it was the Russian leader who started the war in Ukraine and he could end it at any time.
• The EU said that Putin's threats would not change the EU's position on supporting Ukraine.
• John Kirby, the White House's National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, said the United States would not make any announcements on Friday about changing its policy on granting Ukraine permission to use long-range missiles.

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