US Official:’ A Free Europe Rises or Falls With Ukraine’

A top U.S. official said Tuesday that the conflict in eastern Ukraine has become a battleground for a peaceful and free Europe.

 

“We all know that today, a Europe whole, free and at peace rises or falls with Ukraine. Ukraine’s front line for freedom is ours as well,” Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland told a gathering at the Washington-based Brookings Institution.

 

Washington and its European allies are reassessing their options in dealing with Russia’s involvement in the conflict, after repeated violations of a cease-fire. Nuland’s speech held a clear defiant note.

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin lashed out on Monday, blaming the West for the recent increase in violence, and accusing Ukraine’s military of acting as a foreign NATO legion.

 

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