Blinken vows 'swift,' 'severe' response to any Russian incursion into Ukraine

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday vowed the United States and European allies will respond with "swift" and "severe" actions if "a single Russian force goes into Ukraine in an aggressive way."

Blinken repeated his warnings of "massive consequences" on the Sunday morning political talk show circuit as Russia continues to build up its presence of more than 100,000 troops along its border with Ukraine.

"Across the board, we're prepared with Europe for a swift and calibrated and very united response," Blinken said on CNN’s State of the Union. "We're looking at every single scenario, preparing for every single one."

Blinken said the United States and NATO allies have laid out two paths for Russia — a "preferred" path of "diplomacy and dialogue" or one of "massive consequences" for Russia should it continue its aggression toward Ukraine.

"We have provided more defensive assistance, military assistance to Ukraine last year than at any time in the past," Blinken said. "I just authorized, myself, the provision of American military equipment that's with third countries — Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania — to get to Ukraine. And we are in intense, regular, constant communication, consultation with allies and partners to make it very clear that these massive consequences will follow."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on the United States and NATO allies to enact sanctions on Russia immediately rather than wait for Russian forces to invade the fledgling democratic nation. Republican lawmakers have issued similar appeals to the Biden administration.

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told "State of the Union" the United States should move forward with sanctions "to show [Russia] that we mean business and we will be there for Ukraine should they invade."

"Once an invasion happens, lives are lost. You can't go back from that. So those sanctions need to be put in place now," Ernst said.

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told CBS’ "Face the Nation" that the United States and its allies needed to impose sanctions immediately because Russian President Vladimir Putin has not shown signs of "changing his course of action."

"If we don't do something strong right now, I'm afraid that he's going to invade Ukraine, which will have … global ramifications," McCaul said.

Blinken defended the position to not yet impose sanctions, saying the United States and its coalition of European allies are looking to wield the list of potential economic and diplomatic punishments as a deterrent.

"The most important thing we can do is to use them as a deterrent, as a means of dissuading Russia from engaging in further aggression," Blinken said on "Face the Nation." "Once sanctions are triggered, you lose the deterrent effect. So what we're doing is putting together a whole series of actions that would figure into President Putin's calculus."

Asked whether there was any scenario in which more U.S. troops become involved in the effort to defend Ukraine, Blinken said NATO allies as a whole were "continuing to build up … defensive capacities" in the region.

"One of the things that we’ve been very clear about besides the massive economic, financial consequences that would befall Russia if it further commits aggression against Ukraine is the ongoing, continued buildup of defense capacity in Ukraine and, equally, continuing to build up NATO’s defensive capacities, including on the so-called eastern flank, the countries near Russia," Blinken told CNN.

Pentagon officials last week said there are about 200 U.S. National Guard soldiers currently in Ukraine to provide training, but said there are no plans to increase the number. The Biden administration last Wednesday also announced the United States is providing Ukraine with an additional $200 million in military aid to boost its defense capabilities against Russia.