Washington, United States.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned in an interview Sunday that there will be “consequences” if Russia acts “aggressively” against Ukraine, as concern over the rise in Russian troops on the border of the former Soviet republic.
“I am very concerned about Russia’s actions on Ukraine’s borders,” Blinken told the program.Meet the press “on NBC on military deployment in the region. “That ‘s why we are in very close contact, in close coordination, with ours allies and partners in Europe. We all share this concern. “
U.S. President Joe Biden has “been very clear on this. If Russia acts recklessly or aggressively, there will be costs, there will be consequences,” Blinken added, without specifying what such 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 amassing thousands of troops on its northern and eastern borders, as well as in Crimea, which is still recognized as part of Ukraine by the United Nations but Kiev seeks to recover.
the Kremlin, Who has not denied the movements of his troops, said Sunday that he does not seek war with Ukraine, but that he “will not remain indifferent” to the fate of Russian-speakers in this region torn by the conflict.
The White House said this week that the current number of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine is greater than at any time since 2014, when the conflict erupted after the Russian 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 waned in recent years, but no diplomatic solution has been reached to define the status of the disputed regions.
Biden, who previously oversaw Washington’s policies on Ukraine, is seen as a strong ally of the Ukrainians. Its head of diplomacy, Blinken, agreed to support Ukraine against “Russian provocations” in talks this week with its French and German counterparts.