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world news Diahuebs 6 Januari 2022

US, Germany say Russia poses ‘urgent’ challenge to stability

(AP) — The United The Blinken-Baerbock meet-
States and Germany said ing followed a telephone call
Wednesday that Russia’s last week between President
military buildup near Joe Biden and Russian Presi-
Ukraine’s border poses an dent Vladimir Putin, a con-
“immediate and urgent versation Sunday between
challenge” to European Biden and Ukrainian Presi-
security and that any in- dent Volodymyr Zelenskyy,
tervention will draw se- and a group discussion Tues-
vere consequences. day among Biden’s national
security adviser Jake Sullivan
But the country’s top dip- and his counterparts from the
lomats left open what those five Nordic nations.
consequences would be and
how differences on arming It also preceded a flurry of
Ukraine and a controversial meetings involving NATO
Russian gas pipeline will be foreign ministers, senior
resolved. U.S. and Russian officials,
the NATO-Russia Coun-
Secretary of State Antony cil and the Organization for
Blinken and German Foreign Security and Cooperation in
Minister Annalena Baerbock Europe set for next week.
sought to present a unified
front on Russia after a meet- “The real question is wheth-
ing in Washington. er Russia is serious about di-
plomacy, serious about de-es- Ukraine.” line, while completed, has yet strong trans-Atlantic solidar-
“Both Germany and the calation,” Blinken said. “Let’s to go into operation and said ity. That is the most effective
United States see Russia’s ac- see where this goes over the As the Biden administration gas flows through it would response and most effective
tions toward Ukraine as an next weeks.” moves to build international be unlikely if Russia invades tool that we have in counter-
immediate and urgent chal- consensus around a set of Ukraine. ing Russian aggression,” he
lenge to peace and stability in Western officials have hinted possible punitive measures, said.
Europe,” Blinken said. at any number of economi- Germany is clearly the linch- “If Russia renews its ag-
cally crippling sanctions that pin. Securing the support of gression toward Ukraine, it Nord Stream 2 is a topic of
“We condemn Russia’s mili- could be imposed should Europe’s biggest economy would certainly be difficult to major concern in Washing-
tary buildup on Ukraine’s Russia act. Those include will be key to both messaging see gas flowing through it in ton, and Congress is expect-
borders, as well as Russia’s near total cutoff from the and implementation of what- the future,” he said. This ac- ed to take up two bills related
increasingly harsh rhetoric as international financial sys- ever is decided. tually gives the EU leverage to it and other Russia sanc-
it continues to push the false tem and steps toward greater over Russia, he said, rather tions next week, just as the
narrative that Ukraine seeks NATO integration with non- Baerbock is the top diplomat than the other way around. meetings in Europe are hap-
to provoke (Russia),” he said. allied European nations. in the first German govern- pening. A GOP bill would
“That’s a little bit like the fox ment in 16 years not headed Baerbock sidestepped the automatically impose Nord
saying it had no choice but to But, there have been very few by Angela Merkel. She has question of whether the Stream sanctions, while a
attack the henhouse because specifics and Blinken again struck a tougher tone on pipeline would be operation- Democratic version would
somehow the hens presented declined to discuss them. Russia than her predecessor. alized in the event of a Rus- impose a wider range of pen-
a threat.” “I’m not going to telegraph But Germany has adopted a sian intervention. However, alties on Russia should it in-
them publicly, but I can tell less confrontational stance she said the new German vade Ukraine.
Baerbock agreed. “We jointly you with great confidence toward Russia compared government would abide
reiterated that Russian ac- that a tremendous amount of with many other European by an agreement signed last Both Democratic and Re-
tions and activities come with work has been done already. nations. summer with Washington publican lawmakers in Wash-
a clear price tag, and a re- There is very strong coor- that says Russia will not be ington have blamed Nord
newed violation of Ukrainian dination and collaboration Germany’s business ties allowed to use energy as a Stream 2 for increasing Rus-
sovereignty by Russia would and very strong agreement with Russia could provide political weapon against Eu- sia’s leverage over Germany
have severe consequences,” on measures that would be leverage, but they could also rope. and limiting what Berlin
she said. taken in the event of renewed prove a hindrance for forging would be willing to do in
Russian aggression against a united front toward Mos- “We agreed on this, together response to a new invasion.
cow. Despite strong criticism with our European part- Germany, like much of the
from the U.S., the center-left ners, that we would take ef- European Union, is heav-
government of new Chancel- fective measures together ily reliant on Russian natural
lor Olaf Scholz hasn’t shown with our European partners, gas.
itself willing to block the should Russia use energy as a
start of natural gas deliveries weapon or should it contin- Blinken said the U.S. has de-
through a newly built pipe- ue its aggressive acts against livered weapons to Ukraine
line linking Russia and Ger- Ukraine,” Baerbock said. and would continue to do so
many — a move that would in the event of a further Rus-
hurt both countries. Blinken did not directly ad- sian military assault on the
dress her response but said country.
Under Merkel, Germany the U.S. would press ahead
persuaded the Biden admin- with joint measures on the Echoing concerns by some
istration last year not to im- pipeline if necessary. in Germany that this could
pose sanctions on the compa- stoke military tensions with
ny building the Nord Stream “We will continue to work in Russia, Baerbock said “we
2 pipeline, which many be- a way that I hope can be ef- have a different position on
lieve will leave Europe be- fective in dealing with energy arms supply to Ukraine,” but
holden to Russia for energy issues and challenges, includ- noted that Berlin has provid-
and Ukraine more vulner- ing those posed in our judg- ed a military hospital to the
able. ment by Nord Stream 2, and Ukrainian army and support
also in a way that preserves in treating wounded soldiers.
Blinken noted that the pipe- what is so vital, and that is