FM Spox-Nuland Crimea Comments Show US Involved In Ukraine Conflict

Russian Foreign Ministry spox Maria Zakharova has stated that comments from US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland regarding Crimea means that "Once again it has to be stated that the US is involved in [the Ukraine] conflict". Adds that "Nuland comments on Crimea are an attempt to cover up [the US] desire to defeat our country." The accelerated talk of the US and NATO being 'part of the conflict' raises the risk of direct Russian retaliation against these nations.

• Speaking to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C., on 16 Feb, Nuland stated: "No matter what the Ukrainians decide about Crimea in terms of where they choose to fight etcetera, Ukraine is not going to be safe unless Crimea is at a minimum, at a minimum, demilitarised."
• In response to a question regarding the danger of escalation of the war if Ukraine hit targets in Crimea, Nuland stated that, "Those are legitimate targets, Ukraine is hitting them and we are supporting that,"
• Nuland's comments come in contrast to those from Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, reported by Politicoon 15 Feb, that Crimea is a 'red line' for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Politico reports that on a private Zoom call with foreign policy experts, "Blinken, according to two of the people, gave the impression that the U.S. doesn’t consider a push to retake Crimea to be a wise move at this time. He didn’t say those words explicitly, they underscored."