WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden said Tuesday afternoon the United States was prepared to defend NATO members as the crisis on Ukraine’s border with Russia intensifies.

Make no mistake: The United States will defend all of NATO’s territory with its full power. “An attack on one NATO country constitutes an attack against us all,” Biden stated, recalling Article 5, the collective defense rule of the alliance.

Biden declared that Russia must stop its activities and warned that Washington’s allies would impose strong sanctions to “undermine Russia’s ability to compete economically or strategically.”

Biden spoke from the East Room at the White House and reiterated the U.S. support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence. Biden stated that the president will not send American military personnel to Ukraine, but rather to NATO members.

Biden spoke as Lloyd Austin (Secretary of Defense) traveled to Brussels with NATO defense minsters. Austin will spend two days with his counterparts before he travels to NATO’s Eastern flank.

Biden said also that his administration remains open to diplomacy at high levels, should Russian President Vladimir Putin choose to deescalate tensions.

“We aren’t seeking to direct confrontation against Russia. Biden stated that even though I have been very clear about the fact that Russia could target Americans in Ukraine, I am certain we will take action.”

Russia could attack the United States and its allies by asymmetric means like cyberattacks on our critical infrastructure or companies. “We’re also ready to react,” he said.

Biden reiterated the many other sanctions the U.S. would place on Russia should it move on Ukraine. This included his commitment to stop the construction of a large new Russian-German pipeline.

Although the Nord Stream 2 natural-gas pipeline connecting Russia and Germany was completed in September last year, it still has not been able to transport actual gas. Biden was unambiguous in his assessment of the fate of Nord Stream 2 in an event of an invasion. However, German officials are strategically vague.

The U.S. has been watching the steady increase in Kremlin troops along Ukraine’s borders with Russia and Belarus for months. Russia has been mimicking Russia’s tactics since its 2014 illegal annexation and annexe of Crimea in the Black Sea. This sparked international protests that triggered sanctions.

Kremlin denies that Russian troops with sophisticated military equipment were preparing to invade Ukraine by deploying them in unusual circumstances. On Tuesday, Russia’s Ministry of Defense stated that certain of the forces it had previously sent to its borders were still there. in the process of leaving. News prompted the stock market to jumpYou can snap a losing streak of three days.

Biden, as well his NATO ambassador, downplayed Kremlin claims on Tuesday.

We haven’t yet confirmed that the Russian military units will be returning to their bases. Biden claimed that Russian military units remain in “a very threatening” position, and that over 150,000 troops are at the border.

Julianne Smith also told journalists on Tuesday that U.S. officials and allies were trying to confirm Moscow’s claims.

Julianne Smith explained that there had been similar claims out of Moscow in December that they were de-escalating. However, the facts proved that this was not true. She added, “This is something we will have to examine closely and verify in the coming days.”

Biden met with Putin Saturday at Camp David and warned him that Washington will inflict “severe and swift” consequences if Ukraine invades again.

Biden indicated that, while the U.S. continues to be open for diplomacy, they are also prepared for “other scenarios.”

Biden spoke with Putin for about one hour. On Sunday, he made a second call to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president. They also talked for over an hour.

Jake Sullivan (Biden’s national safety advisor) gave a dark description of what a Russian invasion in Ukraine would look like over the weekend. He urged Americans leave immediately.

“Russian military intervention in Ukraine is likely to start with significant missile and bomb attack attacks.” Sullivan said on Sunday.

He stated that it would follow by an assault of ground troops moving along the Ukrainian frontier.

Sullivan claimed that Russia’s military buildup had increased in recent days. According to Sullivan, Russia’s existing force structure in the area could allow it “to launch a military operation very quickly.”

Antony Blinken (Secretary of State) will appear Monday closed the U.S. Embassy in KyivCommanded diplomat staff to be relocated to Lviv, in the west.

After repeated warnings to Americans, the Kyiv embassy was closed.

On Saturday, a senior State Department official said that the time was not right for “private citizens” to flee Ukraine.

American citizens shouldn’t expect the U.S. military to save them in Ukraine. In this situation, that’s unlikely to happen. It is therefore past time that they leave Ukraine,” the official stated, noting that there are limits on what they can do in a war zone.

Austin placed an order to the U.S. soldiers who were deployed in Ukraine last year. to leave the country and reposition elsewhere in Europe. 160 National Guard members, who were assigned to the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Florida, went to Ukraine for training with the local forces.

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby stated that “this repositioning doesn’t signify a change of our determination to support Ukraine’s Armed Forces but will give flexibility in assuring alies and deterring aggressiveness.” He made the announcement in a Saturday statement.

Christina Wilkie, CNBC reporter from Washington contributed to this report.