Secretary of State Blinken will meet in Geneva on Friday with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov following Blinken's travel to Kyiv & Berlin. The Lavrov meeting resulted from their call this morning and "suggests that perhaps diplomacy is not dead,” a Sr State Dept official said
"The United States does not want conflict. We want peace. President Putin has it in his power to take steps to de-escalate this crisis so the United States and Russia can pursue a relationship that is not based on hostility or crisis," the official said
However - the U.S. remains "concerned across several dimensions about Russia creating a pretext for a possible invasion," including via Belarus, the official said. Its movement of forces there is "neither an exercise nor normal troop movement."
SSDO on Russian forces in Belarus: "It is a show of strength designed to cause or give false pretext for a crisis as Russia plans for a possible invasion."
"[T]his is extremely dangerous. We are now at a stage where Russia could at any point launch an attack on Ukraine."
"[T]his is extremely dangerous. We are now at a stage where Russia could at any point launch an attack on Ukraine."
Senior State Dept Official: "Russia has two choices: diplomacy and de-escalation, or escalation and massive consequences…The United States remains committed to diplomacy and believes it is the best and most responsible way forward."
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