Austin: “there is still time and space for diplomacy” with Russia on Ukraine

Tensions between the United States and Russia over Ukraine appeared to ease on both sides Friday, with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin saying “conflict is not inevitable” and “there is still time and space for diplomacy.” Speaking at the Pentagon with Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark Milley, Austin also noted that the buildup of Russian forces along Ukraine’s border has reached the point where President Vladimir Putin now has a complete range of military options. The video above includes clips from the Friday Pentagon news conference.

“While we don’t believe that President Putin has made a final decision to use these forces against Ukraine, he clearly now has that capability. And there are multiple options available to him, including the seizure of cities and significant territories, but also coersive acts or provocative political acts like the recognition of breakaway territories.” Austin said. “Mr. Putin can do the right thing as well. There’s no reason that this situation has to devolve into conflict. He can choose to de-escalate. He can order his troops away. He can choose dialog and diplomacy.”

The comments by Austin and Milley on the tension with Russia were their first extensive public statements about Ukraine this year. Matters regarding Ukraine had mostly been handled by the White House and State Department so far. Milley and Austin have consulted regularly in recent weeks with their counterparts in allied countries and in Ukraine.

Their comments also came hours after Russia’s top diplomat eased fears of a full-blown war, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov saying “we don’t want” one and “there won’t be” one. However, he also added “we won’t let our interests be rudely trampled on and ignored.”

Those interests include halting further NATO expansion, stopping the deployment of alliance weapons near Russian borders, and rolling back its forces from Eastern Europe. The U.S. and NATO formally rejected those demands this week. On Thursday, President Joe Biden warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy there is a “distinct possibility” Russia could take military action against Ukraine next month. Russia has repeatedly denied having any such plans.