Russia will pay a "very high" cost in the event of an attack on Ukraine, Emmanuel Macron warned Tuesday, January 25, during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, reaffirming the support of Westerners alongside Kiev.
"We can only see that Russia is becoming a power of imbalance," said Emmanuel Macron, noting that acts of destabilization of former Soviet states "are increasing".
The Head of State, however, called for "not abandoning" the dialogue with Russia, believing that it should continue within the framework of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
He also announced that he will have a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin on Friday, from whom he intends to ask for "clarifications" on Moscow's intentions with regard to Ukraine.
Russia launched a new series of military maneuvers near Ukraine and in annexed Crimea on Tuesday, hours after accusing the United States of “exacerbating” tensions by putting thousands of American soldiers on alert.
For its part, Washington detailed the heavy sanctions that Russia would suffer in the event of an invasion of Ukraine.
"It's no longer a question of a graduated response. This time we will start at the top of the ladder (of sanctions) and we will stay there," said a senior White House official, speaking under cover anonymity with some journalists.
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