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Russia will face economic sanctions if it invades Ukraine, warns Kamala Harris

Russia will face economic sanctions if it invades Ukraine, warns Kamala Harris

The vice president of United States, kamala harriswarned on Saturday Russia that it will face “unprecedented” economic sanctions if it invades Ukraine and predicted that such an attack would bring European allies closer to Washington.

Harris spoke at the Munich Security Conference a day after US President Joe Biden warned that he is “convinced” that Russian President Vladimir Putin had already made the decision to invade neighboring Ukraine.

“Let me be clear,” Harris said. “I can say with absolute certainty: If Russia invades Ukraine again, the United States, together with our allies and partners, will impose significant and unprecedented economic costs.”

Speaking to a largely European audience, Harris stressed that the West draws its “strength through unity” and that a Russian invasion would likely lead to an even greater NATO presence on Russia’s doorstep.

Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in 2014. For almost eight years, pro-Russian separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces in the east of the country. The United States and the European Union previously sanctioned Russia for annexing Crimea.

Western fears of an invasion have intensified in recent months, after Russia amassed more than 150,000 troops near Ukraine’s borders.

Harris stressed that the Biden administration, along with its allies, had tried in good faith to reach an agreement with Moscow to find a diplomatic solution, but said the Kremlin had failed to do its part.

“Russia continues to say that it is ready to talk, but at the same time it reduces the avenues for diplomacy,” Harris said. “His actions of hers just don’t match her words.”

Harris met Friday in Munich with the leaders of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, who stressed that an increased presence of US troops in the far east of the NATO countries is necessary.

The White House has not yet said whether it will honor those requests, but Harris suggested in his speech on Saturday that an invasion could lead to a beefed-up American presence.

Source: Gestion

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