Putin: "No More Retreat, Will Take Military Action"... US Considers Export Controls (Comprehensive)

Sharp exchanges over Ukraine... Putin "MD is a threat to Russia"
"US may apply export controls used on Huawei to Russia"

On the 21st (local time), Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (right) attended a Ministry of Defense executive meeting held at the Defense Control Center in Moscow, and afterward examined firearms at a military equipment exhibition. President Putin warned at the executive meeting that military countermeasures would be taken against the West regarding the Ukraine conflict. Moscow (Russia) = AP · Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] President Vladimir Putin strongly warned that Russia has no place to retreat regarding the Ukraine border dispute and will take military countermeasures. This is interpreted as suggesting the possibility of military provocations against Ukraine along with the redeployment of nuclear forces across Europe.

In response, the United States is reportedly considering strong export control measures similar to those applied to the Chinese telecommunications company Huawei in the event of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Along with warning retaliatory measures, diplomatic efforts to seek a solution with Russia are expected to continue from next month. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) also announced that it will promptly convene the NATO-Russia Council (NRC), a diplomatic channel with Russia that had been suspended for the past three years.

According to Russia's TASS news agency on the 21st (local time), President Putin said at a meeting with senior Russian military officials, "What the United States is doing in Ukraine is happening in our own backyard," and added, "They should remember that we have no place left to retreat." He further warned, "If the aggressive actions of Western countries continue, we will take appropriate military countermeasures." This warning is interpreted as a message not only about military provocations against Ukraine but also about the possible redeployment of nuclear forces aimed at Europe.

Earlier, on the previous day, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov hinted at the possibility of redeploying intermediate-range nuclear missiles to Europe, including Belarus, in response to NATO. Along with this, President Putin claimed that the U.S. missile defense system (MD) installed in Eastern European countries threatens Russia.

He emphasized, "The MK-41 (European MD), which has already been deployed in Romania and is scheduled to be deployed in Poland, has been modified to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles," and added, "If this launcher moves further east and is installed in Ukraine, the flight time of missiles to Moscow will be reduced to 7 to 10 minutes, and if hypersonic missiles are deployed, it will be reduced to 5 minutes."

Meanwhile, the United States is reportedly considering strong export control measures in preparation for a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Major foreign media, citing senior officials of the Joe Biden administration, said, "A senior officials meeting to discuss sanctions against Russia will be held soon, and export control measures against Russia will be reviewed," warning that "Russia could be restricted from importing goods in various sectors such as smartphones, major aircraft, and automobile parts, which would deal a significant blow to Russia's economy, industry, and employment."

According to the official, export control measures applied to the Chinese telecommunications equipment company Huawei during the previous Donald Trump administration are likely to be applied to Russia. Previously, in May 2019, the U.S. blacklisted Huawei, blocking transactions with U.S. companies, and since September last year, semiconductor companies worldwide have been required to obtain prior approval from the U.S. Department of Commerce to sell products to Huawei.

The United States is emphasizing diplomatic solutions alongside preparations for sanctions against Russia. On the same day, Karen Donfried, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, said at a press conference, "I believe bilateral talks with Russia will take place next month," adding, "The specific date will be negotiated with the Russian side."

NATO also announced that it will hold the NRC, which had been suspended for three years since 2019, early next year. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at a press conference held that day, "We are ready to talk with Russia and will convene the council as soon as possible in the new year."

The U.S. government is also reportedly considering plans to export weapons to Lithuania, which shares a border with Russia, along with export controls. On the same day, the U.S. Department of Defense stated in a press release, "We plan to export Javelin anti-tank missiles worth $125 million (approximately 148.7 billion KRW) to Lithuania," adding, "The U.S. Department of State has approved the export plan, and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified Congress."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.