Asked throughout an appearance on "Fox News Sunday" how the Biden Administration can de-escalate a situation that looks to be on the brink of a Russian invasion of its neighbor, Pompeo explained that the proper time for the U.S. to act passed long ago.
"The real hard work of deterrence would have happened a long time ago, a year ago," Pompeo announced. "When President Putin demanded that we give him a New START treaty extension, we gave it to him for nothing. When they had Russian cyberattacks and they shut down the Colonial Pipeline, we told them you can only attack certain sectors but 16 are off-limits. When we left Afghanistan the way we did. Those were the places where the administration had the chance to establish deterrence. Putin saw this."
TECH GIANTS JOIN FORCES WITH DHS IN HERCULEAN BATTLE AGAINST CHILD EXPLOITATION
"I think they don't see President Biden as credible," Pompeo continued.
Pompeo denounced the President for his recent comments in which he differentiated between a Russian "minor incursion" in Ukraine versus a full-scale invasion in terms of the consequences Russia would face. Biden later clarified and removed any distinction, though Pompeo announced he is still not satisfied with how Biden worded his latest statement.
HORRIFIC FOOTAGE EMERGES: FRANTIC RESCUE EFFORTS AFTER RUSSIAN MISSILES HIT UKRAINIAN CITY (WATCH)
"If you listen closely, even to President Biden's attempt to clean it up, he said 'if there's any 'assembled units,'" Pompeo stressed. "We need to be unequivocal when one speaks in diplomacy, especially in the age of cyber and space and true capabilities that exceed what we had seen during the time of World War II. If there's room for doubt, if there's space, Vladimir Putin will drive a truck through that gap."
WATCH: NEWT GINGRICH'S APPROACH TO "DEATH TO AMERICA" CHANTS
Pompeo described how Putin could use Biden's words against him.
"He'll say, 'Well we didn't send an assembled unit, it was disorganized.' These are the kinds of things that are listened to very closely," Pompeo declared.
Pompeo was then informed that current Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced earlier in the day that "if one more Russian force goes into Ukraine in an aggressive way, that would trigger a significant U.S. response." Pompeo admitted this was "a much stronger" statement than what Biden had stated.
HIGH-STAKES SUMMIT: G7 MULLS SANCTIONS ON IRAN, WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT?
"I hope they're serious about this," Pompeo announced, continuing that he hopes the Biden administration is "prepared to actually do this" with a plan to carry out a swift response.
WATCH: THIS IS HAPPENING HERE IN PLAIN SIGHT
Pompeo later warned that the rest of the world is paying attention to how the Biden Administration deals with the situation.
"They're watching very closely," Pompeo announced, stressing the world watched the Trump Administration when it demonstrated strength with a strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani after Pompeo said that Soleimani threatened the United States.
Discover alternative ideas that will make you think
Engage in mind bending debate
Earn points, rise in rank, have fun
