Washington, United States.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned in an interview on Sunday that there will be “consequences” if Russia acts “aggressively” against Ukraine as concerns over the increase in Russian troops on the border of the former Soviet Republic.
“I am very concerned about Russia’s actions on Ukraine’s borders,” Blinken said on the show.Meet the press “de la cadena NBC about the military deployment in the region. “That is why we are in close contact, in close coordination, with our allies and partners in EuropeWe all share that concern. “
US President Joe Biden “was very clear about this. If Russia acts recklessly or aggressively, there will be costs, there will be consequences,” added Blinken, without specifying what those measures will consist of.
Fighting between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country has intensified in recent weeks and signs of an increase in Russian troops in the region raise fears of an escalation in the conflict.
Ukraine has accused Russia of rallying thousands of soldiers in the northern and eastern borders, as well as in Crimea, which is still recognized as part of Ukraine by the United Nations, but Kiev is trying to recover.
The Kremlin, which has not denied the movements of its troops, said on Sunday that it is not seeking war with Ukraine, but that it “will not remain indifferent” to the fate of Russian speakers in this conflict-torn region.
The White House said this week that the current number of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine is higher than at any time since 2014, when the conflict broke out after Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
The conflict in Eastern Ukraine has claimed more than 13,000 lives and has become a persistent problem in Moscow’s relations with the West.
Fighting has subsided in recent years, but no diplomatic solution has been found to determine the status of the disputed regions.
Biden, who previously oversaw Washington’s policy on Ukraine, is seen as a strong ally of the Ukrainians. His chief of diplomacy, Blinken, agreed to support Ukraine against “Russian provocations” in talks this week with his French and German counterparts.