US Sec of State Blinken: President Putin’s goal of exerting influence on post-Soviet countries unacceptable
Blinken also recalled Russian aggression against Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, stating that Ukraine faces ‘a renewed threat’ from Russia today. Photo: Antony Blinken/Twitter.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said yesterday in an interview with CNN that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s objective of ‘re-exert[ing] a sphere of influence over countries that previously were part of the Soviet Union is unacceptable.’
We can’t go back to a world of spheres of influence. That was a recipe for instability, a recipe for conflict, a recipe that led to world wars. We’re not going back to that,” Blinken stated.
As I explained to @JakeTapper this morning, there are two paths on Ukraine: a path of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve our differences and avoid confrontation, and a path of confrontation and massive consequences for Russia if it renews its aggression.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) January 9, 2022
He also recalled Russian aggression against Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, stating that Ukraine faces ‘a renewed threat’ from Russia today.
Blinken decried Russian military aggression against Ukraine, calling it a 'threat' to European security on January 7 following a NATO council, stating that Russia invaded neighbouring Georgia and Ukraine and violated international arms control agreements of the last two decades.
The US-Russia Strategic Stability Dialogue takes place today in Geneva, which will be followed by a NATO-Russia council meeting scheduled for January 12 in Brussels, and the OSCE Permanent Council meeting in Vienna on January 13.