After addressing Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Thursday afternoon, President Joe Biden refused to touch upon China's potential position within the battle.

Reuters' Steve Holland requested Biden if he's asking China to place strain on its ally Russia amid the Ukrainian invasion.

"I am not ready to touch upon that in the intervening time," Biden instructed Holland earlier than taking one other query.

When requested by PTI Information' Lalit Okay. Jha about India's potential position within the battle, Biden mentioned that the U.S. is talking with Indian officers.

"We're in consultations with India right now," Biden mentioned, "however we have not resolved that utterly."

It got here after he enacted stricter sanctions in opposition to Russia and touted NATO unity throughout all of its members and allies. After discussing elevated American sanctions in opposition to Russian banks, Biden turned his focus to worldwide efforts.

"Between our actions and people of our allies and companions, we estimate that we'll lower off greater than half of Russia's high-tech imports," Biden mentioned. "It will strike a blow to their means to proceed to modernize their navy. It's going to degrade their aerospace business, together with their house program, and harm their means to construct ships decreasing their means to compete economically, and it will likely be a significant hit to Putin's long-term strategic ambitions, and we're getting ready to do extra."

Biden on China
U.S. President Joe Biden addresses the Russian invasion of Ukraine from the East Room of the White Home on February 24, 2022, in Washington, D.C. Biden declined to touch upon China's potential pressuring of its ally Russia. Picture by Brendan Smialowski / AFP through Getty Photos

He additionally revealed that the U.S. will participate in a worldwide summit between NATO members.

"Along with the financial penalties we're imposing, we're additionally taking steps to defend our NATO allies, significantly within the East. Tomorrow, NATO will convene a summit," Biden mentioned. "We might be there, to carry collectively the leaders of 30 allied nations and shut companions to affirm our solidarity and to map out the subsequent steps we'll take to additional strengthen all elements of our NATO alliance."

China won't "rush right into a conclusion" relating to the invasion, Chinese language International Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying mentioned throughout a press convention Thursday.

"All people is busy now," Hua mentioned.

Chinese language International Minister Wang Yi was additionally mum in his readout of the cellphone dialog he had with Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov.

"China all the time respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations," Wang mentioned. "On the similar time, we additionally see a fancy and distinctive historic context behind the Ukraine difficulty, and perceive Russia's reputable considerations on safety points.

"China maintains that Chilly Struggle mentality needs to be utterly deserted, and a balanced, efficient and sustained European safety mechanism ought to finally be shaped by means of dialogue and negotiation."

Replace 2/24/22, 2:59 p.m. ET: This story has been up to date with extra feedback and background data.