Kamala Harris Warns of Consequences of 'Unprovoked Invasion' of Ukraine at Munich Security Conference

United States Vice President Kamala Harris warned of severe and “far-reaching” consequences for Russia in the event of an “unprovoked invasion” of Ukraine during her address to The Munich Security Conference on February 19.

Harris told the conference that the West was facing a historic, “defining moment” as Russia carried out what she described as a familiar “playbook of aggression,” where their “actions simply do not match their words.”

During her speech, the Vice President said: “Russia will plead ignorance and innocence, it will create false pretext for invasion, and it will amass troops and firepower in plain sight.”

“We now receive reports of what appears to be provocations. And we see Russia spreading disinformation, lies, and propaganda.

“Nonetheless, in a deliberate and coordinated effort, we, together, are: one, exposing the truth and, two, speaking with a unified voice.”

UK Prime Minster Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also addressed the conference on Saturday. Credit: The White House via Storyful

Video Transcript

KAMALA HARRIS: As we have said all along, there is a playbook of Russian aggression. And this playbook is too familiar to us all. Russia will plead ignorance and innocence. It will create false pretext for invasion, and it will amass troops and firepower in plain sight. We now receive reports of what appears to be provocations, and we see Russia spreading disinformation, lies, and propaganda. Nonetheless, in a deliberate and coordinated effort, we together are one, exposing the truth, and two, speaking with a Unified voice. As President Joe Biden has made clear, the United States, our NATO allies, and our partners have been and remain open to serious diplomacy. We have put concrete proposals on the table. We have encouraged and engaged Russia through NATO, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the United Nations, and bilateral dialogues. We have engaged in good faith. Russia continues to claim it is ready for talks, while at the same time, it narrows the avenues for diplomacy. Their actions simply do not match their words. And let me be clear. I can say with absolute certainty, if Russia further invades Ukraine, the United States, together with our allies and partners, will impose significant and unprecedented economic costs. [APPLAUSE] We have worked intensively with many of you in this room to ensure we are prepared to move forward with consequences. We have prepared together economic measures that will be swift, severe, and united. We will impose far reaching financial sanctions and export controls. We will target Russia's financial institutions and key industries. And we will target those who are complicit and those who aid and abet this unprovoked invasion. Make no mistake. The imposition of these sweeping and coordinated measures will inflict great damage on those who must be held accountable.