U.S. names possible consequences for Russia should Kremlin invade Ukraine

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said that during the latest talks in Geneva, the Russian delegation assured there were no plans in the works to invade Ukraine, while the movement of troops was only about the exercises.

That’s according to the BBC, Ukrinform reports.

"But I would note that none of this was notified to anyone, and it is typical that we notify each other’s exercises to each other where we can.  And they can prove that, in fact, they have no intention by de-escalating and returning troops to barracks," Sherman said.

According to the senior diplomat, the United States has proposed several options that will help de-escalate tensions, including capping the number of troops involved in the exercises. In addition, the United States offered to hold talks on limits on the placement of missile weapons. At the same time, according to Sherman, U.S. diplomats rejected all of Russia's demands, seen in Washington as “non-starters,” including on the commitment to not accept Ukraine into NATO.

"We will not allow anyone to slam closed Nato's open-door policy, which has always been central to the Nato alliance," she said.

Sherman added that the American delegation informed the Russians that any invasion would be met with "significant cost and consequences well beyond what they faced in 2014" when Russia annexed the peninsula of Crimea from Ukraine.

These measures could include sanctions against key financial institutions, export controls, "enhancements of NATO force posture on allied territory" and wider security assistance to Ukraine, the head of the U.S. delegation noted.

As Ukrinform reported, the American and Russian official delegations held a meeting in Geneva on Monday, aimed at finding a diplomatic path to easing tensions in Europe. The U.S. delegation rejected any possibility of curtailing NATO's open-door policy for other countries, including Ukraine.

Photo: @DeputySecState

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