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A2 UP FRONT
Monday 31 January 2022
U.S. pledges to put Russia on defensive at UN Security Council
Continued from Front mated 100,000 troops near The head of Russia’s Secu-
the border with Ukraine has rity Council, Nikolai Patru- Russian officials are serious Biden administration and
Any formal action by the brought increasingly strong shev, on Sunday rejected
Security Council is extreme- warnings from the West Western warnings about an
ly unlikely, given Russia’s that Moscow intends to in- invasion.
veto power and its ties with vade. Russia is demanding “At this time, they’re say- ic engagement and pull Putin would remove any
others on the council, in- that NATO promise never ing that Russia threatens
cluding China. But the U.S. to allow Ukraine to join Ukraine — that’s complete- The United States and Euro- Sen. James Risch of Idaho,
referral of Russia’s troop the alliance, and to stop ly ridiculous,” he was quot- pean countries say a Rus- the ranking Republican
buildup to the United Na- the deployment of NATO ed as saying by state news
tions’ most powerful body weapons near Russian bor- agency Tass. “We don’t
gives both sides a stage in ders and roll back its forces want war and we don’t
their fight for global opin- from Eastern Europe. NATO need it at all.”
ion. and the U.S. call those de- Ukraine’s foreign minister,
Russia’s massing of an esti- mands impossible. Dmytro Kuleba, countered
that on Twitter, saying: “If troops into Ukraine. The
when they say they don’t many Democratic law-
want a new war, Russia makers argue that impos-
must continue diplomat- ing sanctions now against
back military forces.” deterrent to invasion.
sian invasion would trigger on the Foreign Relations
heavy sanctions. Committee, told CNN he
On Sunday, the chairman is “more than cautiously
of the Senate Foreign Rela- optimistic” that Republi-
tions Committee, Sen. Bob cans and Democrats will
Menendez, said that in the be able to resolve their dif-
event of an attack, law- ferences over the timing of
makers want Russia to face sanctions.
“the mother of all sanc- Russia has long resented
tions.” That includes ac- NATO’s granting of mem-
tions against Russian banks bership to countries that
that could severely under- were once part of the Sovi-
mine the Russian economy et Union or were in its sphere
and increased lethal aid to of influence as members of
Ukraine’s military. the Warsaw Pact.
The sanctions under con- NATO “has already come
sideration would apparent- close to Ukraine. They also
ly be significantly stronger want to drag this coun-
than those imposed after try there,” Russian Foreign
Russia annexed Crimea Minister Sergey Lavrov said
from Ukraine in 2014. Those on Sunday, “although eve-
penalties have been seen ryone understands that
as ineffective. Ukraine is not ready and
Menendez also raised the could make no contribu-
prospect of imposing some tion to strengthening NATO
punishments preemptively, security.”
before any invasion. Ukraine has sought NATO
“There are some sanc- membership for years, but
tions that really could take any prospects of joining
place up front, because appear far off as the coun-
of what Russia’s already try struggles to find political
done — cyberattacks on stability and attack corrup-
Ukraine, false-flag opera- tion.
tions, the efforts to under- Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois
mine the Ukrainian govern- Democrat and member
ment internally,” the New of the Senate’s Ukraine
Jersey Democrat said on Caucus, suggested that
CNN. Ukraine’s backing off its
The desire to hit Russia NATO aspirations could ex-
harder financially over its pedite a diplomatic solu-
moves on Ukraine has been tion to the current crisis.
a rare area of bipartisan If Ukrainian President Volo-
agreement in Congress. dymyr Zelenskyy “decides
But Republicans and Dem- that the future member-
ocrats have been divided ship, if there’s to be one in
over the timing of any new NATO for Ukraine, and the
sanctions package. question of the Russian oc-
Many GOP members are cupation of Ukraine are
pushing for the U.S. to im- two things to put on the
pose tough penalties im- table, I think we may move
mediately instead of wait- toward a solution to this,”
ing for Russia to send new Durbin said on NBC.q