Blinken promises ‘severe’ response if ‘single additional Russian force’ enters Ukraine

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday warned of a “swift” and “severe” united response from the U.S. and European allies if a “single additional Russian force” enters Ukraine.

Asked by co-anchor Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union” about potential aggressions by Russia and if they would lead to sanctions, Blinken emphasized that any incursion by Moscow, regardless of the size, would be met with a strong response.

“If a single additional Russian force goes into Ukraine in an aggressive way, as I said, that would trigger a swift, a severe and a united response from us and from Europe,” Blinken said.

Blinken’s warning comes as concerns are growing that Moscow is planning to invade Ukraine. Russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border.

President Biden on Wednesday warned that Russia would face “disaster” if it launched an offensive against Ukraine.

The U.S. has engaged in diplomacy with Russia to ease tensions in the region, though no breakthroughs have been achieved.

Blinken on Sunday said the “choice” regarding next steps in the standoff is up to Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasizing that a diplomatic path is “preferable.”

“At this point, Dana, the choice is Vladimir Putin’s, and there, the paths are clear. Diplomacy, dialogue, seeing if we can build collective security in a way that is good for everyone is clearly the preferable path, but we’re prepared,” he said.