The US could impose “tough economic sanctions” on Russia and send more of its military to Europe in the event of an invasion of the Ukraine. This was the threat made by a senior US administration official at a recent press briefing in Washington.
The announcement came soon after reprts of American intelligence claims that Russia would invade the Ukraine, as early as February, with the help of as many as 175,000 troops.
The Washington Post pointed out that such an an invasion could take the form of simultaneous attacks from several directions: from the annexed Crimea in the north; the separatist-controlled territories in the east and from the northern border of the Ukraine.
The United States is not considering a direct military response. Instead, in the event of a Russian attack on the Ukraine, Washington would resort to a “combination” of methods: “support for the Ukrainian army; tough economic operations; and a significant increase in the support and resources of NATO allies.”
A spokesman for the US presidential administration declined to clarify what form any sanctions would take.
