US vows to respond to Russian aggression against Ukraine

Ukrainian President Zelensky visited the front line in the Donetsk region to meet with soldiers on December 6, 2021. Handout Ukrainian presidential press-service / AFP

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3 min

On the eve of a meeting between Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin, Washington announces the color: if Russia attacks Ukraine, the United States is ready to take unprecedented financial sanctions and to station more soldiers in Europe than Is, without going as far as a direct military response.

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A senior White House official detailed in a press conference the levers the United States was prepared to pull.

" 

"

Eastern Europe for

"

", and "

".

However, he made it clear that a direct American military response was not currently being considered.

Washington intends to favor, in the event of an invasion of Ukraine, " 

 " of several elements: support for the Ukrainian army, strong economic sanctions and a substantial increase in support and capacities with their allies within the United States. NATO.

While the sanctions have so far not made it possible to really influence the decisions of the Kremlin, according to many observers, the US government has been assuring for a few days that it would resort, this time, to unprecedented draconian punitive measures.

Blinken and Zelensky spoke on the phone

Ahead of his Tuesday videoconference with Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden was scheduled to meet on Monday " 

 " to "

 ", while Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke on the phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky .

Agreed positions with @SecBlinken before the phone conversation of Presidents Biden and Putin.

Agreed to continue joint & concerted action.

Grateful to 🇺🇸 strategic partners & allies for the continued support of our sovereignty & territorial integrity.

Nothing about 🇺🇦 without 🇺🇦

- Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 6, 2021

" 

", assured on Twitter the latter, who, wearing a helmet and camouflage bulletproof vest, went Monday in trenches on the front line with the pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Ukraine.

The American president will recall his Ukrainian counterpart " 

" his conversation with Vladimir Poutine, according to the White House.

Diplomatic firing window

Ned Price spoke of “ 

”.

Kiev and its allies accuse Moscow of having massed troops and tanks on its border in anticipation of a possible attack.

“ 

 ”the senior US official said.

On the Moscow side, we deny any bellicose intention and we say we are listening to the proposals that Washington could make to try to resolve the crisis in the Donbass, reports our correspondent,

. And the Kremlin is awaiting responses from the United States about Russia's demand for long-term guarantees of its security on its western - Ukraine - and southern borders, the Black Sea and Georgia. But the shadow of new American sanctions against Russia hangs over this interview from which Moscow expects nothing in particular. As the Kremlin spokesman pointed out, it will take more than a few hours of maintenance to restore order in the Augean stables of relations between Russia and the United States.

As long as Putin does not see resistance, he continues the game and therefore he is particularly adept at taking advantage of the hazy spaces, of the interstices between the actors who oppose him.

And so I think that there is a choice of the Biden administration to say stop: it is necessary to specify at least the minimum of the rules of the game.

Erwan Lagadec, professors of international relations at Geroges Washington University in the United States

Christophe paget

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• Russia

• Ukraine

• United States

• Volodymyr Zelensky

• Vladimir Poutine

• Joe biden