Biden’s Ukraine Statements Meant to Prepare the American People For ‘What Could be a Really Horrific War,’ Warns Ex-Ambassador

Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul offered a sobering response Friday when asked by MSNBC’s Ari Melber to help explain why President Joe Biden continues to warn the American people of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Biden spoke on Friday to give an update on Russia-Ukraine tensions, the latest in a string of speeches Biden has made in recent weeks warning about an imminent Russian attack.

“What is the purpose of having the president speak out like this before what the U.S. says is now an expected operation?” Melber asked McFaul, noting that Biden said he believes Vladimir Putin has made the decision to invade.

“I think it’s to prepare the world and the American people for what could be a really horrific war,” McFaul responded.

“And I really want to underscore that,” the former ambassador said. “The Ukrainians are going to suffer. Ethnic Russians that live in Ukraine are going to suffer, there’s a lot of ethnic Russians that live in the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv.”

“Russians are going to suffer, and we are going to suffer too,” he continued. “Because President Biden and his allies and partners have promised a massive comprehensive package of economic sanctions against Russia. That will reverberate throughout the global economy and in his previous address, he warned the American people that we’re going to be a part of this, not just on the sidelines, it’s going to affect us as well.”

Watch the full interview above via MSNBC

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