The top security adviser to the US president, Joe BidenHe said that Russia will face a NATO response if any of its attacks in Ukraine cross borders and reach the territory of any country in the Atlantic alliance.
The White House national security adviser, Jake Sullivanalso said that the United States believes that it will be able to continue providing military assistance to Ukraine despite Russian threats to attack foreign arms shipments destined for that country.
Sullivan made his comments after a Russian bombardment killed 35 people at a military base in western Ukraine, 35 kilometers from the border with Poland, a NATO member.
The attack, in turn, came a day after Russia warned that it would consider any foreign arms shipments destined for Ukraine, which is receiving arms and ammunition from NATO to defend itself against the Russian invasion, “legitimate targets.”
“Of course these convoys go through the war zone. You can never talk about delivery methods, but we think we have methods and systems to support the Ukrainians,” Sullivan told CNN.
“Of course, these convoys go through the war zone. You can never talk about delivery methods, but we believe that we have methods and systems to support the Ukrainians.”
“We believe that we will be able to continue sending substantial amounts of military assistance and weapons to the front lines to help the Ukrainians ensure that Ukraine is a strategic failure for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin,” he added.
Later, in statements to the CBS News channel, he said that the president Biden “has been clear repeatedly that the United States will work with its allies to defend every inch of NATO territory.”“.
The official said that a military attack against a NATO country would provoke the invocation of article 5 of its founding charter, which requires the other countries of the alliance to come to the defense of the attacked nation.
“We will bring the full force of NATO into action in responding,” he said.
Sullivan said that NATO will react even if some Russian attack accidentally hits NATO territory.
For Biden’s adviser, the Russian attack near the border with Poland “It shows that Putin is frustrated that his forces are not making the expected progress in big cities, such as the capital, Kiev.”
“That’s why it’s expanding the number of targets,” he said.
