US, Germany say Russia poses ‘urgent’ challenge to stability

By MATTHEW LEE and FRANK JORDANS
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and Germany say that Russia’s military buildup near Ukraine’s border poses an “immediate and urgent challenge” to European security and that any intervention will draw severe consequences. But the country’s top diplomats left open what those consequences would be and how differences on arming Ukraine and a controversial Russian gas pipeline will be resolved. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock sought to present a unified front on Russia after a meeting in Washington. Wednesday’s meeting precedes a flurry of meetings next week involving NATO foreign ministers, senior U.S. and Russian officials, the NATO-Russia Council and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.