Russian troops crossing Ukraine's borders
would be a major escalation, and would draw
an inevitable, sharp reaction from the United
States, and I think that is understood by
everybody.
It would be a dramatically, unfortunate development,
which I think would produce only the most
tragic consequences.
Our advice would be to encourage the government
to continue on the course that it has been
pursuing -- of seeking a strategy to cordon
these cities, to use their security forces,
and the army if necessary, to ensure that
weapons, money, instability are not trafficked
in and out of these cities.
But not to engage in the forceful clearing
of these buildings.
