Washington DC, 10 January 2022 (TDI): The United States Secretary of State Antony J Blinken addressed Ukraine and Kazakhstan at the CNN State of the Union. Jake Tapper was the host of the interview last Saturday. The interview had two parts, first Blinken and Jake Tapper talked about Russia’s current move to Ukraine and Kazakhstan’s recent issues.

In the first part, the Secretary answered questions about Ukraine: The first question was if the Federation of Russia is willing to talk with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)? Secondly, what sanctions are the US willing to impose on Russia if there is new aggression?

Moreover, fourthly does the Secretary agree with the Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s belief that Putin desires to restore the old Soviet Union? The last question was if the invasion of Ukraine is a possibility?

Answers to the Questions

Regarding the first question, Blinken responded by saying that there are two ways in which the US can respond to the moves of Russia. On one End, dialogue and diplomacy can be the response to avoid confrontation. On the other, confrontation can be the answer to the issue of Russia invading Ukraine.

These responses are options that can happen following Russia’s move in the following weeks. The US will act with Nato and the Organization for security and cooperation in Europe (OSCE), following what Russia will do.

Secondly, regarding the second question, Blinken stated that the US is not the unique entity that can put sanctions. For instance, organizations such as the G7, NATO, and the European Union, will be part of the process to put heavy sanctions. This will occur if there are new actions from Russia in Ukraine.

US Secretary also responded to the third question stating that President Vladimir Putin’s moves are driven towards a revival of the Soviet Union and remind the old reputation of Russia. However, at that time, the world was not stable.

In response to the fourth question, the US Secretary said that only far in time it will be clear, and the US is prepared for any situation on the issue of Ukraine. When it comes to the Kazakhstan matter, the US Secretary also tackled the recent events in Kazakhstan.

Context of Ukraine and Kazakhstan

In Ukraine, the Ukrainian authorities reported that Russia is sending troops near their borders. They are concerned about a new invasion. Russia denied the accusation, and they requested the West not to include Ukraine in the Nato sphere.

Putting into context the situation of Kazakhstan, there are protests in the state due to the rise of fuel prices. The protests started on the first week of January. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared a nationwide emergency and called on Russian troops to help them handle the situation.