Top military officials made a rare joint appearance at the Pentagon to warn Moscow against invading Ukraine and to reassure NATO allies the U.S. was ready to help defend allied nations.
Ian Pannell reports on the latest developments as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate.The nation's top defense officials, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley said Friday that Russia now has amassed enough military forces to move on Ukraine, possibly even its largest cities.
"We don't believe that President Putin has made a final decision to use these forces against Ukraine. He clearly now has that capability, and there are multiple options available to him," Austin said."Including the seizure of cities and significant territories" or"provocative political acts like the recognition of breakaway territories."Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin participates in a media briefing at the Pentagon, Nov. 17, 2021, in Washington.
"You can imagine what that might look like in dense urban areas, along roads and so on and so forth. It would be horrific. It would be terrible," he said."And it's not necessary, and we think a diplomatic outcome is the way to go here."A S-400 air defense system drill is carried out in the Sverdlovsk Region of Russia.
"Conflict is not inevitable. There is still time and space for diplomacy," Austin continued."The United States, in lockstep with our allies and partners, has offered Russia a path away from crisis and toward greater security in the Department of Defense will continue to support those diplomatic efforts."
"As we've made clear, in addition to the significant economic and diplomatic costs that Russia will incur, a move on Ukraine will accomplish the very thing Russia says it does not want a NATO Alliance strengthened and resolved on its western flank," Austin said."The United States will contribute to NATO's response forces, and we will coordinate with our NATO allies, and we will make sure that they have the capabilities that they need to defend themselves.
At a press briefing Friday morning from Moscow, Ambassodor John Sullivan, who delivered that U.S. response Thursday, reiterated that any further incursion to Ukraine would be met with massive economic sanctions.Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in a press conference with Russian media on Friday, countered that the Kremlin will take retaliatory measures unless a guaranteed security agreement is reached with the West.
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