Washington: US President Joe Biden has said Russia will have to “pay a heavy price” if its military units move across the Ukrainian border which will be considered an “invasion”.
On Thursday, the Treasury Department announced sanctions on individuals who engaged in influencing activities directed by the Russian Government.
“This action was part of our ongoing, longstanding efforts to counter Russia’s network of influence efforts and to expose its dangerous, threatening, and ongoing campaign to destabilise Ukraine,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.
In response to a question, she said, “These individuals are at the heart of Russia’s destabilising campaign in Ukraine and we stand united with the Ukrainian Government.” Psaki stressed the US was not waiting to take action to counter Russia. Later, Biden told reporters, “I’ve been absolutely clear with President Putin… If any assembled Russian units move across the Ukrainian border, if there is an invasion, it would be met with a severe and coordinated economic response that I’ve discussed in detail with our allies and laid out very clearly for President Putin. Let there be no doubt at all that if Putin makes this choice, Russia will pay a heavy price,” the US President warned. He alleged Russia had a long history of using measures other than overt military action to carry out aggression.
Expect no breakthrough from talks: Lavrov
Moscow: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday that he expected no breakthrough from their talks in Geneva, but wanted to hear a concrete response to Moscow’s security demands. “(Our) proposals are extremely concrete and we await equally concrete answers,” Lavrov said in televised opening remarks. Lavrov and Blinken met in Geneva on Friday.