Blinken says US is concerned Russia may be ‘attempting to rehash’ 2014 invasion of Ukraine

By Nicole Gaouette, Kylie Atwood and Jennifer Hansler, CNN

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that the US is concerned by reports of unusual Russian military activity and the possibility that Russia may be “attempting to rehash” its 2014 invasion of Ukraine.

“We’re concerned by reports of unusual Russian military activity,” Blinken said in an appearance with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba at the State Department, adding that the US is “monitoring very closely” the Russia activity.

“Our concern is that Russia may make a serious mistake of attempting to rehash what it undertook back in 2014, when it amassed forces along the border, crossed into sovereign Ukrainian territory and did so claiming falsely that it was provoked,” Blinken said, referring to Russia’s invasion of Crimea. “So the playbook that we’ve seen in the past was to claim some provocation as a rationale for doing what it, what it intended and planned to do. All which is why we’re looking at this very carefully.”

He also reiterated the US’ commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence, calling it “ironclad.”

‘Demotivate them’

Kuleba said the US and Ukraine shared “elements” with each other Wednesday regarding the Russian military activities and expressed gratitude for the US move to deepen defense and security cooperation “to help Ukraine build its capacity to defend itself and also to deter Russia to demotivate them from taking further aggressive actions.”

Blinken and Kuleba addressed reporters at the conclusion of a strategic dialogue that led to the signing of a renewed Ukraine-US Strategic Partnership.

“The best way to deter aggressive Russia is to make it clear for the Kremlin that Ukraine is strong,” Kuleba said. “I have repeated on numerous occasions that Russian aggression against Ukraine will end on the day Ukraine’s placed as part of the West is institutionalized and undoubted. Today, we have made another important step in that direction.”

Blinken said the US would continue to “consult closely as well with allies and partners” about Russia’s troop build-up.

“As we make clear, any escalatory or aggressive actions will be of great concern to the United States.” He added that the US will continue to support deescalation in the region and a diplomatic resolution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Russia’s motivation

CNN reported Friday that President Joe Biden dispatched CIA Director Bill Burns to Moscow last week to warn the Kremlin that the US is closely watching its buildup of troops and the irregular movement of equipment near Ukraine’s northern border, according to multiple US and Ukrainian sources.

Burns was also supposed to try to determine what is motivating Russia’s actions in his meetings with senior Kremlin security officials directly involved in the military activity.

Kuleba referred to intelligence the US shared with him on his visit and said that “what we heard and saw today in Washington, DC, corresponds to our own findings and analysis, adds some new elements, which allow us to get a better and more comprehensive picture.”

Vigilant and resilient

Pointing to various Russian efforts to destabilize Europe — including its use of energy supplies, “propaganda efforts, disinformation, cyberattacks, military buildups, an attempt of Russia to digest Belarus” — the Ukrainian diplomat warned that “in this complicated game, we have to remain vigilant, we have, have to be resilient.”

The joint press appearance is just the latest effort by the Biden administration to demonstrate support for Ukraine, some of which has happened behind closed doors.

Following his meetings in Russia, Burns spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky by phone in an attempt to diffuse tensions, the sources told CNN. A senior State Department official was also dispatched to Kiev on Thursday to support those efforts.

The flurry of high-level diplomacy underscores how seriously the Biden administration is taking the latest Russian troop movements, even after an earlier buildup this spring ultimately did not lead to a renewed invasion. Tensions between Ukraine and Russia have also been exacerbated in recent weeks by a deepening Ukrainian energy crisis that Kiev believes Moscow has purposefully provoked.

“The buildup, coupled with the energy blackmail, does suggest a more aggressive Russian posture,” an adviser to Zelensky told CNN.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said on Friday that the “scale” and “the size of the units that we’re seeing” from Russia is “unusual.”

“We continue to monitor this closely, and as I’ve said before, any escalatory or aggressive actions by Russia would be of great concern to the United States,” he said.

This story has been updated with additional reporting.

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CNN’s Natasha Bertrand, Michael Conte and Christian Sierra contributed to this report