By Sabine Siebold & Humeyra Pamuk

RIGA (Reuters). The United States warned Tuesday that there would be “serious consequences” for Russia’s renewed aggression. This was as NATO, the Western military alliance met to talk about Moscow’s plans for deploying troops along the Ukrainian border.

Antony Blinken (the U.S. Secretary Of State) was to give his NATO counterparts a briefing on U.S. intelligence on Ukraine’s eastern flank.

Blinken, at a press conference held in Latvia prior to the meeting expressed concern over the Russian troop movements.

He stated that any Russian escalatory action would cause as much concern for the United States and Latvia, and would lead to serious consequences.

The West has been alarmed by two Russian troop builds-ups on Ukraine’s border this year. According to Western officials, this was the biggest Russian troop build-up since Russia’s 2014 annexation in Crimea.

Moscow dismissed the suggestion that Ukraine is prepping for an attack as inflammatory, claimed it doesn’t threaten anybody, and supported its rights to send troops wherever it wants.

“RUSSIA’S MALICIGN ACTIVITY”

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg indicated that Russia was not clear about its intentions before they began.

“We can see large capabilities,” he said.

NATO member Britain also echoed Blinken’s warning.

“We will stand by our fellow democracies to stop Russia’s disgusting activities. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss stated that she would support Ukraine’s stability and the Western Balkans.

It is clear that any suggestion suggesting NATO is trying to provoke Russia is false. Russia would make a strategic error if it attempted to subvert the democracy and freedom enjoyed by our partners.

Concerns were further raised Monday by Belarus, which announced joint military drills and Russia at its Ukrainian border. NATO was accused of building offensive capabilities close to its territory.

The West has accused President Alexander Lukashenko of trying to split the European Union through sending migrants from the Middle East to NATO member Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania. Minsk warned that he would not be sitting on the sidelines in the event of war. nL8N2SK4FI]

“It is obvious whose side Belarus’ will be on,” said he, speaking of Moscow, which provided him with political and financial support that enabled him to weather the mass public demonstrations of August 2020.