Blinken: Swift, severe US response

Berlin, Jan. 20: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Thursday that there would be a “swift, severe” response from the United States and its allies if Russia sends any military forces into Ukraine. Blinken’s comments in Berlin appeared to be another effort to clear up any confusion about the position of the US and its Nato allies after US President Joe Biden was heavily criticised for saying a “minor incursion” by Russia would elicit a lesser response.

“If any Russian military forces move across the Ukrainian border and commit new acts of aggression against Ukraine, that will be met with a swift, severe, united response from the United States and our allies and partners,” Blinken told a news conference with his German counterpart.

Later, Blinken accused Russia of threatening the foundations of world order with its buildup of an estimated 100,000 troops near Ukraine’s border. He said Russia must face a concerted and severe global response if it invades. The stark warning was delivered in Berlin, the formerly divided city that symbolised the Cold War split between East and West, as Blinken prepares to meet on Friday in Geneva with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in a high-stakes bid to ease tensions that appears likely to fail.

“These are difficult issues we are facing, and resolving them happen quickly,” Blinken said. “I certainly don’t expect we’ll solve them in Geneva tomorrow.” He said Russia’s actions toward Ukraine are an attempt to subvert international norms and just the latest in a string of Moscow’s violations of numerous treaties, agreements and other commitments.