"It's creating a real dilemma for (Russian) President Vladimir Putin," Biden told reporters in New Orleans, making his first public comments on the operation. While Biden did not go into further detail about Russia's problems, he said his administration remains in "constant contact" with Ukraine. The U.S. did not immediately rebuke Ukraine’s incursion into Russian soil, breaking with a longstanding policy of military caution towards nuclear-armed Russia. For years, fear of triggering escalation led Washington to drip-feed sophisticated weaponry to Kyiv, stalling Ukraine's ability to fight back. Biden's remarks on Aug. 13 indicate the U.S. has no plans to condemn Ukraine's response. As the offensive in Kursk Oblast stretches into its second week, some Western officials are even encouraging the morale boost the incursion has set off in the country.