Delivering a blunt warning to Moscow, President Barack Obama
expressed deep concern Friday over reported military activity inside
Ukraine by Russia and warned "there will be costs" for any intervention.
He did not say what those costs might be.
Obama
called on Russia to respect the independence and territorial integrity
of Ukraine and not try to take advantage of its neighbor, which is
undergoing political upheaval.
"Any violation of Ukraine's
sovereignty and territorial integrity would be deeply stabilizing,"
Obama said in a hastily arranged statement delivered from the White
House.
Such action by Russia would not serve the interests of the
Ukrainian people, Russia or Europe, Obama said, and would represent a
"profound interference" in matters he said must be decided by the
Ukrainian people.
"Just days after the world came to Russia for
the Olympic Games, that would invite the condemnation of nations around
the world," Obama said.
"The United States will stand with the
international community in affirming that there will be costs for any
military intervention in Ukraine," he added.
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