Psaki Bristles at Reporter Asking if Biden is ‘Happy’ with Things in Ukraine: ‘This is Barbaric’

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki took exception when ABC News White House correspondent Cecilia Vega asked if President Joe Biden is “happy” with the results of U.S. efforts in Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy lashed out at NATO last week, saying that “All the people who will die from this day will die because of you, as well. Because of your weakness. Because of your disunity.”

At Monday’s White House press briefing, Ms. Vega asked Psaki about that quote, and whether President Biden is “happy” or “okay” with the response, and the results:

MS. VEGA: And President Zelenskyy said that, in recent days, that “all the people who will die from this day, will die also because of you.” He’s essentially saying the West will have blood on its hands if it doesn’t do more. Is the President happy with — does he believe the cr- — the administration’s response so far to this crisis has been adequate? Is he okay? Does he consider this successful at this point?

MS. PSAKI: I mean, Cecilia, I don’t think anybody watching this anywhere around the world feels happy. This is — this is —

MS. VEGA: But as it relates to the American side of this?

MS. PSAKI: But let me finish. This is barbaric. It’s horrific to watch. I mean, you have 1.5 million, if not more, refugees crossing the border. You have mothers and children dead on the side of the road. This is heart wrenching to watch. And — ugh, sorry, it’s — it is. It’s heart wrenching to watch, you know?

And I think for us who are working in public service, you watch in these moments and there are — there are limitations in the sense that we are not going to send U.S. troops to fight in Ukraine against Russia. The President is not going to do that. That is what you have to weigh as President of the United States.

What we are doing and what he is doing is continuing to take every step to provide them security assistance — $1 billion of security assistance. That has been expedited. I know the Department of Defense gave an update on Friday about how much of that has arrived. A huge percentage has arrived and been expedited in a very short timeframe.

We have also provided economic, humanitarian assistance. And I think any world leader would tell you that without the President’s leadership and without the United States rallying the world to hold Russia accountable, there would not be the kind of accountability, pressure on the financial system in Russia.

So we are doing everything that is in the interest of the United States, in the interest of our partners in NATO to put pressure on President Putin, to support the Ukrainians, and certainly doing that while we watch them fight bravely and courageously.

I think the last think I would say on this, Cecilia, is that it’s also important — and we’re very cognizant of this here — to be clear that this is going to be — continue to be a very, very difficult period of time. The Ukrainians are fighting bravely. We’re standing by them and supporting them. But Russia is — you know, they’re going to continue to fight. They are going to continue to pursue what President Putin’s ambition is.

Watch above via NBC News.