Biden: US 'ready no matter what' on Russia threat to Ukraine

President Joe Biden said that the United States is pursuing diplomacy to resolve the crisis brewing around Ukraine but warned Russia that "we are ready no matter what happens."

"Today in the United Nations, we laid out the full nature of Russia's threat to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, as well as (to the) core tenets of the rule-based international order," Biden said in the Oval Office.

"We continue to urge diplomacy as the best way forward, but with Russia continuing its build-up of its forces around Ukraine, we are ready no matter what happens."

The UN Security Council met for the first time on Russia’s troop build-up and threatening actions against Ukraine at the request of the United States.

All key players squared off in public on Monday over the possibility of a Russian invasion and its global impact.

With tensions soaring, the US said it was prepared to push back against any "disinformation" Moscow put forward in what is expected to be one of the most closely watched United Nations sessions in years.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield previously said Russia’s actions pose “a clear threat to international peace and security and the UN Charter”.

Russia’s deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyansky responded angrily, tweeting: “Hopefully fellow UNSC members will not support this clear PR stunt shameful for the reputation of UN Security Council.” 

READ MORE: Russia fails to keep UNSC debate on Ukraine closed

Crunch meeting

Polyansky’s reaction indicated that Russia may start the meeting asking for a procedural vote on whether it should go ahead. To block the meeting, Russia would need support from nine of the 15 members.

A senior official in the Biden administration said the United States is in regular contact with council members and is “confident” that there is “more than sufficient support” to hold the meeting.

Assuming the meeting goes ahead, the council will first hear a briefing by a senior UN official followed by statements from its 15 members, including Russia, the United States and European members France, Ireland, United Kingdom and Albania. Ukraine will also speak.

China’s UN Ambassador Zhang Jun, whose country has close ties to Russia, indicated Beijing supports Moscow in opposing a council meeting.

“Both sides have shown willingness to continue their negotiations,” he told several reporters on Friday. “Let them settle the differences through dialogue, through negotiations.”

Rhetoric over sanctions

The head of Russia’s Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, rejected on Sunday Western warnings about an invasion, but the United States and Britain flagged on Sunday new and "devastating" economic sanctions as tensions rose.

The Kremlin denounced what Britain said were plans to target "any company of interest to the Kremlin and the regime in Russia could be targeted" in order to deter Moscow from invading Ukraine and vowed to retaliate if need be.

"This is a very worrying statement from London, not only for our companies. This demonstrates a fair amount of unpredictability on the part of London and is a cause for serious concern f or international financial structures," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

Analysts say an array of sanctions hitting Russian banks and financial institutions would not only affect daily life throughout Russia but could roil major economies in Europe and elsewhere.

READ MORE: US lawmakers warn Russia of 'mother of all sanctions' ahead of UNSC meet