President Joe Biden, standing tall and defiant, sent a frank message to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday: "You don't scare me, and you should be scared of us if you are thinking about carrying out your threats."

“America and its allies are not going to be intimidated by Putin and his reckless words and threats,” Biden said at the White House, hours after Putin illegally declared four Ukrainian regions to be part of Russia.

“The United States is never going to recognize this and frankly, the world won't recognize it either,” Biden added. “He can’t seize his neighbor’s territory and get away with it.”

Putin, who has made oblique threats to use nuclear weapons, was also forewarned by the president that any infringement on NATO member states will be met with a swift retaliation.

“America is fully prepared, with our NATO allies, to defend every single inch of NATO territory,” Biden said grimly. “Mr. Putin – don't misunderstand what I’m saying. Every inch.”

Following the White House's announcement of additional, "swift and punitive" penalties against Russia for its "fraudulent" acquisition of Ukrainian land, Biden made his comments.