Russia’s ambassador to Sweden mentioned President Vladimir Putin doesn’t “give a s–t” about sanctions that the US and its allies have threatened to slap on Moscow if it invades Ukraine.
“Excuse my language, however we don’t give a s–t about all their sanctions,” Viktor Tatarintsev informed Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet in an interview revealed on Saturday.
“We now have already had so many sanctions and in that sense they’ve had a optimistic impact on our economic system and agriculture,” Tatarinstsev mentioned, including that Russia has turn into “self-sufficient” and can climate any financial penalties imposed by the US and its allies.
“We're extra self-sufficient and have been in a position to improve our exports. We now have no Italian or Swiss cheeses, however we’ve realized to make simply pretty much as good Russian cheeses utilizing Italian and Swiss recipes,” he mentioned.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned that a “diplomatic path” nonetheless exists to defuse the disaster in Ukraine regardless of a high-stakes hour-long name between President Biden and Putin and the US’ choice to take away US embassy workers from Kyiv.
On the similar time, the Kremlin has been reinforcing the greater than 100,000 troops already stationed alongside Ukraine’s border, is conducting joint navy drills in Belarus and has bolstered its naval presence within the Black Sea.
The extent of Russian forces arrayed in opposition to Ukraine has led US officers to warn that an assault may come as quickly as this week.
Blinken mentioned he spoke to Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov after the Biden-Putin dialog and reiterated that the US was open to a diplomatic decision, however that it was additionally ready to take critical steps if Russia invades.
“I raised our critical considerations that Moscow could also be contemplating launching a navy assault in opposition to Ukraine within the coming days. I made clear, as President Biden did right now in his dialog with President Putin, that a diplomatic path to resolving this disaster – a disaster created by the unprovoked massing of Russian forces throughout Ukraine – that diplomatic path stays open,” Blinken mentioned late Saturday in Hawaii.
“I additionally underscored that if Moscow chooses the trail of aggression and additional invades Ukraine, the response from the USA and our allies and companions might be swift, it will likely be united, it will likely be extreme,” America’s prime diplomat mentioned at a information convention with South Korean International Minister Chung Eui-yong and Japanese International Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa.
Biden informed Putin that an assault on Ukraine can be met with “swift and extreme prices” throughout his cellphone name on Saturday.
“President Biden was clear that, if Russia undertakes an additional invasion of Ukraine, the USA along with our Allies and companions will reply decisively and impose swift and extreme prices on Russia,” the White Home mentioned in a press release.
It additionally mentioned an invasion would “produce widespread human struggling and diminish Russia’s standing,” including that the US and its allies “are equally ready for different situations” ought to diplomacy fail.
A Putin aide characterised the decision as “balanced and businesslike” however mentioned that the US has nonetheless not addressed Russia’s demand that Ukraine and different former Soviet states be barred from becoming a member of NATO.
A senior Biden administration official mentioned in a briefing name after the Biden-Putin dialog that Russia’s aggressiveness has already created circumstances that the Russian chief is attempting to reverse.
Together with the NATO demand, Putin can be searching for ensures that Western nations downside their forces from Jap Europe and never deploy missile programs inside Ukraine.
The administration official mentioned the US has deployed 3,000 troops to Poland, Germany and Romania and has despatched hundreds of thousands of dollars value of navy gear to Ukraine due to the standoff.
On Friday, the Pentagon introduced it will ship an extra 3,000 troops to Poland.
“We're intensifying our efforts to discourage Russia and to impose prices ought to it determine to go forward with navy motion anyway,” the administration official mentioned.
”No matter Russia decides, our evaluation is that their efforts to enhance their strategic place are already failing and that it will solely be exacerbated ought to they determine to take navy motion,” the official continued, noting that NATO unity has been stronger than it has been for a while.
In Hawaii, Blinken addressed the evacuation of US embassy personnel from Ukraine.
“The danger of Russian navy motion is excessive sufficient, and the risk is imminent sufficient, that that is the prudent factor to do. Nobody ought to be stunned if Russia instigates a provocation or incident, which it then makes use of to justify navy motion it had deliberate all alongside,” he mentioned.
”A core staff will stay in Ukraine with our devoted Ukrainian colleagues as we proceed to work relentlessly to resolve this disaster via deterrence and diplomacy. Our safety help to Ukraine – in addition to support for different sectors like public well being, financial improvement – all of that can proceed,” Blinken mentioned.
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