Blinken announced the development of sanctions in case of Russian aggression against Ukraine | News from Germany about Europe | Dw

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced the existence of “evidence” that Russia “has prepared plans for significant aggressive action against Ukraine.” He stated this on Wednesday, December 1, following a two-day meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Riga, DW correspondent reports.

“These plans include efforts to destabilize Ukraine from within, as well as large-scale military operations,” the Secretary of State said. It is not yet known whether Russian President Vladimir Putin made the decision to invade, he said. “But we know that he created the ability to do it very quickly if he so chooses,” added Blinken.

“If Russia continues to follow the path of confrontation with respect to Ukraine, we made it clear that we will give a decisive response, which will include a number of highly effective economic measures (link: 59954208), from which we have refrained so far,” the head of American diplomacy said.

Blinken clarified that he would not yet disclose what these sanctions will be. “But we shared our thoughts with allies and partners. And I saw tremendous solidarity on the part of everyone in the determination and intention to take effective measures if Russia invaded Ukraine,” he said. The secretary also said that in the coming days and weeks, Washington will work with NATO countries and partners on the details of these sanctions: “It is very important that Russia understands that any action it contemplates will have serious consequences.”

Blinken also noted that NATO states “take care that Ukraine has the opportunity to defend itself.” The head of the American foreign policy department warned Russia that in the event of its further aggression, the alliance will also strengthen its defenses.

Let us recall that the main topic of the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Riga on November 30 and December 1 was Russia’s building up of its military presence near the borders of Ukraine. On the second day, the meeting was also attended by the Foreign Ministers of Ukraine and Georgia Dmitry Kuleba and David Zalkaliani.

See also:

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  How NATO and Russia are building up their military forces

  Russia strengthens its position in the Baltic

  The grouping of troops in the Kaliningrad Special Region in 2016 was reinforced by a battalion of the Bastion coastal missile system. New missile systems came into service with the Baltic Fleet in 2016, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. Photo: summer exercises of the Russian army in the Baltic

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  How NATO and Russia are building up their military forces

  Build strength on both sides

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  How NATO and Russia are building up their military forces

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  How NATO and Russia are building up their military forces

  Iskander in Kaliningrad

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  How NATO and Russia are building up their military forces

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  How NATO and Russia are building up their military forces

  New divisions

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  How NATO and Russia are building up their military forces

  Major exercises in Poland

  A major NATO military exercise called “Baltops” took place in the Baltic region this summer. They were attended by servicemen from 17 countries – over 6,000 soldiers in total. Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the bloc plans to transfer several hundred thousand soldiers to an enhanced regime of service in the member countries of the organization.

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  How NATO and Russia are building up their military forces

  From howitzers to heavy bombers

  Russia is actively testing and introducing new types of military equipment into service. These are Su-35S fighters, and Tor, Pantsir-S anti-aircraft missile systems, Verba MANPADS, Tornado-G multiple launch rocket systems and drones. Now the level of rearmament of the army, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense, is 50 percent.

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  How NATO and Russia are building up their military forces

  “We are not in a state of cold war with Russia”

  In a recent interview with DW, Jens Stoltenberg stated that NATO is not in a cold war with Russia, calling for a more moderate definition. The scale of the military build-up by both sides is, indeed, incomparably smaller than when the arms race between the USSR and NATO was in full swing, as this timetable from the GDR times reminds of.

  Author: Mikhail Bushuev

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