Nato warns Russia of high price in case of Ukraine war

RIGA • Russia would pay a high price for any new military aggression against Ukraine, Nato and the United States warned yesterday as the Western military alliance met to discuss Moscow's intentions for massing troops on the border of the former Soviet republic.

The West has already shown it can wield economic, financial and political sanctions against Moscow, Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg told reporters ahead of talks of the alliance's foreign ministers in the Latvian capital Riga. "There will be a high price to pay for Russia if they once again use force against the independence of the nation, Ukraine," he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday said the expansion of Nato military infrastructure in Ukraine was a red line he hoped would not be crossed, and voiced concern about military drills being held near Russia's borders.

Speaking at an investment forum in Moscow, Mr Putin also said Russia was also developing a new hypersonic missile that would soon be in its arsenal.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to brief his 29 Nato counterparts on Washington's intelligence regarding what is going on at the alliance's eastern flank and in Ukraine, which is not a member.

"Any escalatory actions by Russia would be a great concern to the United States... and any renewed aggression would trigger serious consequences," he said at a news conference before the meeting.

"We will be consulting closely with Nato allies and partners in the days ahead... about whether there are other steps that we should take as an alliance to strengthen our defences, strengthen our resilience, strengthen our capacity."

Kiev's aspirations for integration with the West have triggered a stand-off with Moscow.

The Kremlin annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and then backed rebels fighting government troops in the east of the country. That conflict has killed 14,000 people, according to Kiev, and is still simmering.

Two Russian troop build-ups this year on Ukraine's borders have alarmed the West.

In May, Russian troops there numbered 100,000, the largest since its takeover of Crimea, Western officials say.

Moscow has dismissed as inflammatory Ukraine's suggestions that it is preparing for an attack. It said it does not threaten anyone and defended its right to deploy troops on its own territory as it wishes.

Adding to Western concerns, Belarus on Monday announced joint military drills with Russia on its border with Ukraine. While also a former Soviet republic, Minsk is an ally of Moscow.

REUTERS