President Joe Biden made a joke about the potential that the U.S. could get involved in a broader conflict over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
During an event on Wednesday, Biden touched on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
“Today, Kyiv still stands, and that government still presides. This fight is far from over,” he said.
He continued, “This war could continue for a long time, but the United States will continue to stand with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in the fight for freedom. I just want you to know that.”
“And by the way, if I’ve got to go to war, I’m going with you guys. I mean it,” Biden, who is 79, joked.
Watch the video below:
Biden: "This war could continue for a long time, but the United States will continue to stand with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in the fight for freedom. I just want you to know that."
— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) April 6, 2022
"And by the way, if I've got to go to war, I'm going with you guys." pic.twitter.com/dslmD1uYem
Biden has previously vowed that the U.S would not send troops to Ukraine.
In February, after he announced new sanctions against Russia, the president said, “Our forces are not and will not be engaged in the conflict.”
“Our forces are not going to Europe to fight in Ukraine but to defend our NATO allies and reassure those allies in the east,” he added.
However, he said the U.S. would defend NATO territory if a member nation was attacked.
Speaking in Poland last month, Biden said, “We have a sacred obligation under Article 5 to defend each and every inch of NATO territory with the full force of our collective power.”
During that same trip, he appeared to indicate that U.S. troops might be sent into Ukraine.
“You’re going to see when you’re there, and some of you have been there, you’re gonna see — you’re gonna see women, young people standing in the middle in front of a damned tank just saying, ‘I’m not leaving, I’m holding my ground,’” he told soldiers.
However, the White House later clarified the president’s comments.
“The president has been clear we are not sending US troops to Ukraine and there is no change in that position,” a White House spokesperson told the New York Post.
Biden also seemed to call for regime change in Russia when he said, “For God’s sake, [Russian President Vladimir Putin] cannot remain in power.”
But a White House official clarified, “The President’s point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region. He was not discussing Putin’s power in Russia, or regime change.”