White House Reporters Slam Biden For Saying New Sanctions On Russia Won't 'Prevent' Ukraine Invasion

President Joe Biden and the White House have criticized new Russian sanctions that are ostensibly ineffective in deterring Russian President Vladimir Putin from attacking Ukraine.

Biden stated flatly per Daily Mail that "no one" expected Russia's sanctions to "halt the invasion" of Ukraine.

"No one expected the sanctions to prevent anything from happening," the president said per the Official White House transcript.

Biden added: "this could take time, and we have to show resolve." Putin, the U.S. President said, knew what was coming. According to Biden, Russian people know what Putin brought on them.

Following Biden's remarks, which appeared to be a shift in his position on whether sanctions were effective in any manner, criticism of the president swiftly rippled over the internet.

The contrast between what the president said and what National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said last week was highlighted by New York Times journalist Michael Shear on Twitter.

"On Feb. 11, Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, said 'the President believes that sanctions are intended to deter.' Today, @potus told us: 'No one expected the sanctions to prevent anything from happening.' Those are basically the opposite of each other," Shear tweeted.

CNN's Bianna Golodryga said : "Biden: 'No one expected the sanctions to prevent anything from happening.' So... then not a deterrent?"

But Jennifer Rubin, a Washington Post columnist, jumped to Biden's rescue and criticized the White House press corps.

She tweeted : "The WH press corps is either playing dumb or doesn't understand. Sanctions are not meant to deter (hence they did not fail); Putin was ALWAYS going to do this. They are to force Putin to curtail once the pain rises sufficiently or he risks destabilization at home."

According to Fox News, the White House was also attacked on social media after Deputy National Security Advisor Daleep Singh declared that the sanctions were "not designed to disrupt the present flow of energy from Russia to the world."

Singh stated in a press conference on Thursday that the sanctions were intended to impair Russia's energy capacity over time, not in the "near term."

Because Russia's biggest export is energy resources, and it provides around 40% of Europe's natural gas, many netizens believe that slapping sanctions on its oil exports are the most effective approach to penalize the country for its military operations in Ukraine.