White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday there is currently “nothing to preview” on responding to the two American journalists harmed in Ukraine.
Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich asked Psaki what President Joe Biden’s response will be toward Russia over the death of American journalist Brent Renaud and the injury of Fox News State Department correspondent Benjamin Hall.
“Your colleague, Benjamin Hall, I know there’s not final reports yet or we would wait for your news organization to confirm those, but our thoughts, the president’s thoughts, our administration’s thoughts are with him, his family, and all of you at Fox News, as well,” the press secretary said. “In terms of specific actions, I think you have seen the president lead the world in putting in place consequences, putting in place repercussions and steps in response to the actions of Russia.”
“The brutal actions that have certainly impacted Ukrainian people and now have certainly impacted some Americans, but in terms of next steps or what the next consequence would be I don’t have anything to preview for you at this point in time,” she continued.
Heinrich said the president has been “unwilling to draw a red line” on the atrocities committed by Russia, including the bombing of a maternity hospital in Mariupol and the use of illegal weapons. The press secretary said the administration is “hardly on the sidelines” in terms of assisting Ukraine. (RELATED: Doocy Presses Psaki On Admin Blaming Russia For Rising Gas Prices)
“Well, Jacqui, I think it’s important to reiterate as often as we can that what we’re seeing is horrific; what we’re seeing is barbaric. And the steps that the president has taken, and led the world in taking, have essentially led the Russian financial system to be on the brink of collapse,” Psaki continued. “We have provided more military assistance to the Ukrainian military and the Ukrainian government than any other country in the world, and more historic assistance than any other year to Ukraine in history.”
Renaud was killed Sunday after Russian forces targeted his vehicle in the city of Irpin, located just outside of Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv.
Fox News anchor John Roberts announced Monday that a Fox News journalist had been injured outside of Kyiv. Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott confirmed Hall’s injury and vowed that ensuring the safety of the network’s correspondents on the ground is “top priority.”