Biden on Ukraine situation: ‘Things could go crazy quickly’

By CNN

Published February 10, 2022 4:00 PM

CNN

By Maegan Vazquez and Sam Fossum, CNN

President Joe Biden on Thursday urged Americans in Ukraine to leave the country immediately, warning that “things could go crazy quickly” in the region.

“American citizens should leave now,” Biden said in an upcoming interview that was taped Thursday with NBC News’ Lester Holt.

Referring to Russia, which has amassed troops on its border with Ukraine, Biden said, “It’s not like we’re dealing with a terrorist organization. We’re dealing with one of the largest armies in the world. It’s a very different situation and things could go crazy quickly.”

Biden said “there’s not” a situation that could prompt him to send US troops to rescue Americans attempting to exit Ukraine, adding, “That’s a world war when Americans and Russia start shooting at one another.”

If Russian President Vladimir Putin is “foolish enough to go in, he’s smart enough not to … do anything that would negatively impact on American citizens,” Biden added.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.