The following is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman spoke today with Bjoern Seibert, Chief of Staff for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, to follow up on their February 11 call and President Biden’s February 11 video call with transatlantic leaders. The Deputy Secretary and Chief of Staff discussed diplomatic efforts to urge Russia to deescalate and choose diplomacy and reiterated that further Russian escalation would be met with massive, coordinated consequences and severe costs for the Russian Federation. Both expressed the United States’ and EU’s resolute support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and commitment to strong transatlantic coordination. Deputy Secretary Sherman also raised EU-UK negotiations on the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol and the importance of preserving the gains of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.