On what may be her most consequential overseas trip since taking office, Vice President Kamala Harris reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to NATO at the annual Munich Security Conference, and warned of “severe consequence” should Russia invade Ukraine.
Harris’ meeting comes one day after President Joe Biden said there is a “very high” likelihood Russia will invade Ukraine “in the next several days,” and disputed reports from Moscow that Russia has has begun drawing down troops from the border. On Friday, Michael Carpenter, Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, said that Russia “probably has massed between 169,000-190,000 personnel in and near Ukraine,” compared to roughly 100,000 at the end of January.
“This estimate includes military troops along the border, in Belarus, and in occupied Crimea; Russian National Guard and other internal security units deployed to these areas; and Russian-led forces in eastern Ukraine,” Carpenter said.
Harris urged that a diplomatic solution still remains possible, echoing sentiments that President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed the day before, but warned that the U.S. and its allies will respond with harsh sanctions should Russia invade Ukraine.
“We remain, of course, open to and desirous of diplomacy, as it relates to the dialogue and the discussions we have had with Russia, but we are also committed, if Russia takes aggressive action, to ensure there will be severe consequence in terms of the sanctions we have discussed,” Harris said at her meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. “And we know the alliance is strong in that regard.”
Harris held her first meeting of the conference with Stoltenberg, which she called “intentional,” calling the relationship one of the United States’ most “critical.”
“Our alliance and commitment to NATO is enduring,” she said at the meeting with Stoltenberg, adding: “As a member of NATO, we feel very strongly about and will always be committed to the principle of territorial integrity and sovereignty.”
Stoltenberg thanked Harris and praised the Biden administration for their commitment to the alliance, which frayed under that of their predecessors.
Vice President Kamala Harris meets with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, left, during the Munich Security Conference, Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, in Munich. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool)
“NATO remains the cornerstone for our security the security of Europe, for North America,” he said. “Therefore I am extremely grateful for your personal commitment to our alliance, to the transatlantic bow and also the very strong and staunch commitment to NATO from the Biden-Harris administration, not only in words, but also in deeds we see on the ground in Europe now.”
“On Friday, I went to Romania to US troops there, and they always impressed me with their professionalism, their dedication and of course, to have U.S. troops and more U.S. troops in Europe on this critical time for our security,” he said, adding that it “really demonstrates … U.S. commitment to our shared security.”
“I also welcome the fact that European allies are stepping up, also increasing their presence in the eastern border of the alliance and also investing more in defense,” Stoltenberg said. “So the reality is that North America and Europe are doing more together now that we’ve done for many years.”
Later Friday, Harris held a meeting with the leaders of the three Baltic nations: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Harris reiterated to the group that the United States’ commitment to Article V of the NATO treaty – the collective defense clause – is “ironclad.”
From left, Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Latvian President Egils Levits, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, pose for photographs during the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Friday, Feb. 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool)
“Our position has always been and will continue to be that Article 5 is ironclad and the spirit behind it — an attack on one is an attack on all — remains our perspective,” Harris said. “I do believe our greatest strength is our unity.”
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda called for the U.S. to establish a “permanent presence” of troops in the country: “I would say it is critically important for the security of our region to see more presence of United States troops.”
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas also called for a greater U.S. troop presence in Baltic nations: “We have lost our independence to Russia once, and we don’t want it to happen again.”
Harris is also expected to meet with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this weekend at the conference. President Biden is also set to deliver remarks from the White House on Friday about the ongoing situation between Russia and Ukraine, following a call with Transatlantic leaders on continued diplomatic and deterrence efforts.
The vice president will address the conference on Saturday, which is largely expected to address the crisis in Ukraine.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is also in Munich, and is set to meet with his counterparts from the U.K., France and Germany. He is also scheduled to meet with French Foreign Minister Jean-Ives Le Drian and Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
