U.S., EUROPEAN OFFICIALS HOLD CRISIS TALKS
Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighted Western unity in confronting Russia’s pressure on Ukraine on Thursday, even as the standoff over Moscow’s military buildup exposes differences among the United States and its European allies.
Blinken, who met with counterparts from Germany, Britain and France during an hourslong visit to the German capital, described a “decisive juncture” as the Biden administration intensifies its diplomatic push to prevent conflict on Europe’s eastern edge.
“We cannot choose the path for Moscow, but we can make crystal clear the stark consequences of that choice,” Blinken told reporters after a hastily convened meeting of what is called the “trans-Atlantic Quad,” before making reference to NATO’s shared commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty. “That unity gives us strength, a strength, I might add, that Russia does not and cannot match.”
The Biden administration has accelerated its warnings that Russia, with some 100,000 troops positioned around Ukraine, may be preparing for an imminent invasion. Moscow has accused Ukraine of threatening its security by accumulating foreign weaponry and seeking to join the NATO alliance.
Questions remained about how closely NATO nations are aligned on certain aspects of the Ukraine crisis, including how best to respond if Russia, which annexed Ukraine’s Crimea region in 2014, again resorts to force — questions that President Joe Biden raised Wednesday in remarks about the situation.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, speaking alongside Blinken, said her country, like the United States, was committed to imposing “grave consequences” should Russia move forces into Ukraine.
“The coordination and consultation amongst us allies couldn’t be more intensive than it is,” she said.
Blinken, who will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov today, said that while the specific sanctions or retaliatory steps of NATO members might differ, the effect would still be powerful.