US President Joe Biden said Russian President Putin rejected efforts at diplomacy.
Washington:
US President Joe Biden said Tuesday Russian President Vladimir Putin had underestimated the powerful response his invasion of Ukraine would illicit from Western nations as sanctions upended Russia's economy.
"Putin's war was premeditated and unprovoked," Biden said in prepared remarks released ahead of his annual State of the Union address.
"He rejected efforts at diplomacy. He thought the West and NATO wouldn't respond. And, he thought he could divide us here at home. Putin was wrong. We were ready."
