Biden says Russia to emerge 'weaker' from Ukraine war

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Russia will emerge "weaker" from its war on Ukraine, US President Joe Biden said Wednesday as his administration continued to ramp up economic costs on Moscow.

“Russia will be left weaker, and the rest of the world stronger,” Biden said while visiting the state of Wisconsin, adding Russian President Vladimir Putin "is now isolated from the rest of the world, more than ever.”

“He thought the West and NATO wouldn’t respond. But he was wrong. We were ready,” he added.

Over 2,000 civilians have been killed since Russia launched its war on Ukraine on Feb. 24, according to Ukrainian authorities, while the UN Refugee Agency estimates that more than 874,000 people have fled from Ukraine to neighboring countries.

The offensive has been met with international outrage, with the European Union, US and the UK, among others, implementing tough financial sanctions on Moscow.

Russia intensified its aerial and artillery bombardment of Ukraine this week, particularly on the capital, Kyiv, and its second-largest city, Kharkiv, where a massive explosion rocked Freedom Square on Tuesday.

Biden on Tuesday announced that the US would close its airspace to all Russian aircraft, and on Wednesday his administration announced waves of sanctions that included the blacklisting of 22 Russian defense-related entities.

The White House did not specify which firms would be affected by the State Department's forthcoming announcement but said they work in the development of "combat aircraft, infantry fighting vehicles, electronic warfare systems, missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles."

The Commerce Department is further imposing export controls on oil and gas extraction equipment to target Russia's ability to refine fossil fuels and designating entities that support Russian and Belarusian "security services, military and defense sectors."