Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed the "unshakable U.S. commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity" during a phone call with his Russian counterpart on Tuesday, according to a State Department spokesperson.
During a conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Blinken emphasized the country's commitment and "stressed the importance of continuing a diplomatic path to de-escalate tensions surrounding the deeply troubling Russian military buildup in and near Ukraine," according to spokesperson Ned Price.
Price added that the secretary told Lavrov, "any discussion of European security must include NATO allies and European partners, including Ukraine."
The White House's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, previously warned that Russia may be readying a "false flag" operation following a buildup of troops on the eastern border of Ukraine.
"It is certainly the case that the threat of military invasion is high," Sullivan said Thursday, according to The Hill. "There is no illusions on the part of any of us who have been dealing with this issue about what the prospects are for potential conflict and potential military escalation by Russia."
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Sunday that the country placed its troops along the border because it cannot "tolerate" the expansion of NATO and the "gradual invasion" of Ukraine.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said, following a meeting between Russian and U.S. officials in Geneva last week, that "we have no plans, no intentions to attack Ukraine." He added, "All measures for the combat training of troops and forces are carried out within our territory."
He said there’s "no reason to fear any escalation scenario in this regard."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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