U.S. Upping Diplomatic/Military Pressure on Moscow over Ukraine

April 10 , 2021 (EIRNS)—U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called up both his German and French counterparts yesterday to browbeat them on supporting the U.S. backing of the Kiev regime in its confrontation with Russia—which could quickly careen towards an actual military confrontation. According to one State Department readout, Blinken and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas “emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine against unilateral Russian provocations along the Line of Contact in eastern Ukraine, in occupied Crimea, and along Ukraine’s borders as well as the need for Russia to immediately cease its military buildup and inflammatory rhetoric.”

According to another readout, Blinken and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian

“confirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. They discussed the need for Russia to end its dangerous and irresponsible rhetoric, its military buildup in occupied Crimea and along Ukraine’s borders, and unilateral Russian provocations along the Line of Contact in eastern Ukraine.”

Turkish Foreign Ministry sources, meanwhile, confirmed yesterday that the U.S. notified Turkey on April 1 that two U.S. Navy ships, named by TASS as the USS Donald Cook and the USS Roosevelt, planned to transit the Bosporus into the Black Sea on April 14-15 to stay until May 4-5. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby refused to confirm those plans from the U.S. side during a news briefing yesterday. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko expressed concern for increased activity by states that don’t have borders to the Black Sea. Grushko also pointed to increased NATO warship activity in the Black Sea, and said neighbors in the region were responsible for security therein.