Political commentators, journalists dig up Biden's old warnings Putin 'doesn't want' him to be president
'I'm the only person in this field who's ever gone toe-to-toe with him,' Biden said
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Political commentators, journalists and more dug up a 2020 tweet from President Joe Biden on Tuesday about Russian President Vladimir Putin amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
"Vladimir Putin doesn't want me to be President. He doesn't want me to be our nominee. If you're wondering why - it's because I'm the only person in this field who's ever gone toe-to-toe with him," Biden's Feb. 21, 2020 tweet read.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tom Bevan of Real Clear Politics pointed out that the tweet was posted "two years ago today" on Monday, the same day Putin deployed troops to eastern Ukraine.
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., also reacted to the tweet. "You were saying …?," he posted.
President-elect Joe Biden speaks during an event in Wilmington, Delaware, on Jan. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
More critics sarcastically told Biden that his statement "aged well."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Country music star John Rich also responded to the president's 2020 tweet, saying, "You tell 'em Joe."
Biden similarly said in a Twitter video in October 2019 that Putin's "days of tyranny" would be over when he was president.
"I'm going to stand up to him, he's a bully," then-presidential candidate Biden said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Putin knows that when I am president of the United States his days of tyranny and trying to intimidate the United States and those in Eastern Europe are over," he continued.
Russian troops have entered eastern Ukraine after Putin said he'd recognize two separatist regions, Donestk and Luhansk. Russian troops entered Donbas, the name of the area where both regions are located.
Biden signed an executive order Monday announcing sanctions that target the two regions.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 25, 2022. (Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Josep Borell said they consider Donbas a part of Ukraine. "I wouldn’t say that’s a fully-fledged invasion, but Russian troops are on Ukrainian soil," he said. The EU and the United Kingdom plan to impose sanctions over Putin's decision to recognize Donestk and Luhansk.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced they would be stopping the certification process of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia after Russia's move into Ukraine.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Russia's Vladimir Putin and President Joe Biden meet in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool)
White House press secretary Jen Psaki responded to Germany's actions Tuesday, saying the White House would be following up today.
"@POTUS made clear that if Russia invaded Ukraine, we would act with Germany to ensure Nord Stream 2 does not move forward. We have been in close consultations with Germany overnight and welcome their announcement. We will be following up with our own measures today," she tweeted.