Asked about the warnings of the United States about the imminence of a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, he assured “share a strong concern” about this threat.
“We are certainly living, in my opinion, the most dangerous moment for security in Europe after the end of the Cold War,” he said. “No one is massing 140,000 heavily armed soldiers on the border of a country” without it “representing a strong threat”, he estimated, giving an estimate of the Russian deployment at the gates of Ukraine higher than the 110,000 men mentioned in recent days by American officials.
“140,000 soldiers massed at the border, they are not there to have tea!” exclaimed Josep Borrell.
Alongside him, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken denied any “alarmism” in Washington’s warnings.
“It’s not alarmism, it’s just the facts,” he said at a joint press conference.
The Americans and Europeans accuse Russian President Vladimir Putin of planning a possible invasion of Ukraine, and threaten massive economic sanctions if he does.
“We don’t believe that Mr. Putin has made up his mind, but he has put in place the means, should he decide to do so, to act very quickly against Ukraine in a way that would have terrible consequences for Ukraine, Russia and for all of us,” insisted the head of American diplomacy.
The two men, however, assured that diplomacy was still at work.
“We believe that a diplomatic solution to this crisis is still possible,” summed up Josep Borrell. “We hope for the best but prepare for the worst.”