U.S. Skeptical of Russian Military Training Exercises
By MARK LANDLER MARCH 21, 2014
nytimes.com
Russians Take Over Ukrainian Base
At the Nakhimov Naval School in Sevastopol, Ukrainian soldiers conducted an official handover and lowered their flag in a tense ceremony, while Russian soldiers stepped in to raise theirs.
WASHINGTON — The White House is skeptical that recent Russian troop movements on the border of southern and eastern Ukraine are merely training exercises, as the Russian government has claimed, the national security adviser, Susan E. Rice, said on Friday.
“We have indeed been taking note of developments along Ukraine’s border, including the Russian border,” Ms. Rice said to reporters in the White House briefing room.
“The Russians have stated that they are intending military exercises,” she said. “Obviously, given their past practice and the gap between what they have said and what they have done, we are watching it with skepticism.”
President Obama, in opening the door to broad sanctions against key Russian industrial sectors on Thursday, cited the threatening movements of troops and said he wanted to head off further Russian incursions into Ukraine after its annexation of Crimea.
But Ms. Rice’s comments suggested that the tensions between the United States and Russia were deepening.
Asked if the United States was “fundamentally reassessing” its relationship with Russia, she answered in one word: “Yes.” |
