Foreign Minister Antony Blinken will hold a press briefing at the end of a NATO meeting of Foreign Ministers at the Alliance’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on 24 March 2021.
Olivier Hoslet | Reuters
WASHINGTON – Foreign Minister Antony Blinken said on Sunday he was concerned about the number of Russian troops meeting at the Ukrainian border and warned Moscow that “there will be consequences” for aggressive behavior.
“I have to tell you that I am really concerned about Russia’s actions on the borders of Ukraine. There have been more Russian forces joined at those borders than at any time since 2014 when Russia first invaded,” Blinken said during a interview on “Meet the Press”. ‘Sunday.
“President Biden was very clear about this. If Russia acts recklessly or aggressively, there will be costs involved, there will be consequences,” Blinken said, adding that the United States was discussing the unfolding aggression on the border with allies and partners.
On Friday, Blinken spoke in part with his German and French counterparts about ‘Russian provocations against Ukraine’.
Last week, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the Biden government was consulting with NATO allies on the increase in ceasefire tensions and violations.
“The United States is increasingly concerned about the recent increase in Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine, including Russian troop movements on the border with Ukraine,” she told reporters on Thursday, calling the matter “deeply concerned”.
Read more: US worries about Russian troop movements near Ukraine and discusses local tensions with NATO allies
In recent weeks, Moscow has increased its military presence along the Ukrainian border, raising concerns in the West about an emerging military conflict between the two neighboring countries. The Russian Defense Ministry said it was conducting more than 4,000 military exercises this month to investigate the readiness of its forces.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, visits positions of armed forces near the front line with Russian-backed separatists during his business trip in the Donbass region, Ukraine, April 8, 2021.
Ukrainian Presidential Press Service | Handout | via Reuters
Last month, the Ukrainian government said four of its soldiers had been killed by Russian shelling in Donbass. Moscow has denied that it has any power in eastern Ukraine. Since 2014, according to UN figures, Kyiv has been waging a conflict with Russia – backed separatists in a conflict.
Read more: The West awaits Putin’s next step as tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalate
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that Moscow would move its forces across Russian territory at its discretion, calling the escalating tensions “unprecedented.” He also suggested that Ukraine be on the brink of a civil war, which would threaten Russia’s security.
“The Kremlin fears that a civil war could resume in Ukraine. And as a civil war, a full-scale military action resumes near our borders that would threaten the security of the Russian Federation,” Peskov was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. “The continuing increase in tension is quite unprecedented.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of ‘resuming’ dangerous defiant action ‘in a call on Friday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to a Kremlin lecture. The Kremlin has said earlier that it is concerned about rising tensions in eastern Ukraine and that it fears Kyiv’s forces are trying to start a conflict.
Last week, the Pentagon reiterated its call on the Kremlin to explain its decision to mobilize troops to the border.
“The Russians are building a military base along the eastern border of Ukraine and in Crimea, which still belongs to Ukraine, and that is worrying. And we want to know more about what they do and what their intentions are. is because we do not believe it is conducive to safety and stability, “Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Friday.
Later this week, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will meet in person with NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg at the Alliance’s headquarters in Brussels.