The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken participated virtually in today’s EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) at the invitation of EU High Representative Josep Borrell. The Secretary briefed his EU counterparts on his January 18-21 visit to Kyiv, Berlin, and Geneva as part of the U.S. diplomatic effort to address Russia’s unprovoked military build-up near and in Ukraine and continued aggression against Ukraine. He emphasized the United States will continue to coordinate closely on next steps to deter Russian aggression with the EU and member states, in addition to NATO, the OSCE, and Allies and partners more broadly. The Secretary reaffirmed that any further military incursion into Ukraine will be met with swift, severe, and coordinated consequences. The Secretary welcomed EU and member state efforts to strengthen the U.S.-EU relationship and address global challenges together.