US President Joe Biden has issued a stark warning to Vladimir Putin that he must pay a price or cause chaos after invading Ukraine.
In his State of the Union address he said that the West was ready for the Russian President's attack on the European country.
He told the nation: "Throughout our history we've learned this lesson - when dictators do not pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos.
"They keep moving. And, the costs and threats to America and the world keep rising."
He went on to highlight how Putin had turned away options to avoid war.
"Putin's war was premeditated and unprovoked. He rejected repeated efforts at diplomacy. He thought the West and NATO wouldn't respond. And, he thought he could divide us here at home," Biden said.
"Putin was wrong. We are ready."
Biden sought to unite Americans in solidarity with Ukraine in the speech while also focusing on his domestic economic agenda, including reintroducing elements of his stalled Build Back Better programme.
He also confirmed that Russian planes would be banned from flying in US airspace.
The war in Ukraine and high inflation at home are two of the biggest challenges facing his administration, in addition to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
After Putin's troops invaded Ukraine, Biden said that severe sanctions would be introduced and Russia "will bear the consequences".
The president slammed Moscow's brutal assault on Ukraine via land, sea and air.
He told reporters: “Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war. And now he and his country will bear the consequences."
He added: “Now I’m authorising additional US force capabilities to deploy to Germany as part of NATO’s response, including US base forces… put on standby weeks ago.”
But he warned: “Our forces are not, and will not be, engaged in the conflict with Russia in Ukraine.
“Our forces are not going to Europe to fight in Ukraine, but to defend our Nato allies and reassure those allies in the east.”
