Biden: Not Sure Russia Has Changed Strategy in Ukraine

President Joe Biden said on Saturday that he was not sure that Russia had changed its strategy in its invasion of Ukraine, after Moscow said its focus was now to completely "liberate" the breakaway eastern Donbass region.

"I am not sure they have," Biden said when asked by a reporter if Russia had changed its strategy.

In an announcement on Friday appearing to indicate more limited goals, the Russian Defense Ministry said a first phase of its operation was mostly complete and it would now focus on the Donbas region bordering Russia, which has pro-Moscow separatist enclaves.

"The combat potential of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been considerably reduced, which ... makes it possible to focus our core efforts on achieving the main goal, the liberation of Donbas," said Sergei Rudskoi, head of the Russian General Staff's Main Operational Directorate.

Breakaway Russian-backed forces have been fighting Ukrainian forces in Donbas and the adjoining Luhansk region since 2014. They declared independence with Moscow's blessing - but not recognized by the West - soon before the Feb. 24 invasion.

Reframing Russia's goals may make it easier for President Vladimir Putin to claim a face-saving victory, military analysts said.

Moscow had said the goals for what it calls its "special operation" include demilitarizing and "denazifying" its neighbor. Western officials say the invasion is unjustified and illegal, aimed at toppling Ukrainian Presididen Volodymyr Zelenskyy's pro-NATO government.

Weeks of on-and-off peace talks have failed to make significant progress. In a video address late Friday, Zelenskyy said his troops' resistance had dealt Russia "powerful blows."

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed.