Bayden: Putin "completely counted" with the invasion of Ukraine

US President Joe Biden does not believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin is making irrational decisions, but at the same time he is convinced that he "completely miscalculated", making a decision on the invasion of Ukraine. He said this in an exclusive interview with CNN , which was aired on Tuesday evening.

Bayden called Putin a "rational actor", who, however, underestimated the will of the Ukrainian people to resist. In addition, he called the “irrational” motives of the invasion, which Putin publicly called in February, announcing the beginning of the invasion. In particular, Baiden mentioned that Putin spoke of himself as a leader who wants to unite all Russian -speaking people in the world.

"He ... thought that he would be met with open arms, that Kyiv is the mother of Russian cities, and that he would be welcomed there, and I think that he simply counted completely," Bayden said. He also noted that such “mistakes” and “miscalculations” from Russia can, in the worst case, lead to the use of nuclear weapons against Ukraine. "A miscalculation may occur, no one can be sure what will happen, and this may end with Armageddon." At the same time, he did not clarify how exactly the United States would react in such a case. Also, according to Biden, he does not believe that Putin will eventually use nuclear weapons.

Answering the question of whether he will meet with Putin at the Summit of “Twenty Group” (G20) in Indonesia, which will take place next month, Biden replied that he did not want to speak with the Russian president, since he, in his opinion, committed war crimes. Earlier - even before the start of the war in Ukraine, Bayden called Putin a "killer", and after the start of the war, he said that he could not remain in his post (he made a reservation that we were talking about his personal moral assessment, and not about the policy of the United States). According to the US President, he may not talk to Putin about Ukraine, but for example, about the release of the American basketball player Britnin, who was imprisoned in the Russian prison, if the Russian president has such a desire.

As the Voice of America notes, Biden spoke with CNN a few hours after the online meeting with the leaders of the G7 countries, during which the President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky announced the need to strengthen the air defense of his country against the backdrop of new Russian bombing. The United States confirmed that they will supply the air defense systems to Ukraine, not yet announced specific steps.