Washington. January 3. INTERFAX - US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Monday, during a telephone conversation with colleagues from the Bucharest Nine, discussed the presence of Russian troops near the border with Ukraine, and also stated the need for a unified NATO position on the Ukrainian crisis, the US State Department reports.
"Secretary of State and Foreign Ministers (The Bucharest Nine) discussed the destabilizing military buildup of the Russian Federation along the Ukrainian border, as well as the need for a unified, open and resolute NATO position for the collective defense of allies and cooperation on issues of common concern," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.
The document notes that Blinken also stated the US commitment to close consultations and coordination with all transatlantic allies and partners on the issue of achieving de-escalation around Ukraine "through deterrence, defense and dialogue."
