(LIMA, Peru) — The COVID-19 pandemic spread across South America at an alarming rate in 2021, with the death toll surpassing one million in Latin America and the Caribbean in May, according to the Pan American Health Organization.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, the prevalence of hunger is now at 9.1% — the worst rate in 15 years, according to a United Nations report published in 2021.
According to the report, the prevalence of hunger in Latin America and the Caribbean increased by 2% between 2019 and 2020, with 59.7 million people in the region suffering from hunger.
Number of omicron cases in US ‘likely to rise,’ CDC director says
In a small neighborhood outside the Peruvian capital of Lima, Olinda Huamani, who is a single mother of three, has struggled to feed her children.
Huamani said she used to clean houses for a living and her children would accompany her to work, but due to the COVID-19 lockdowns, she lost her source of income.
“We don’t have anything. Everything you see has been tossed out by others and were picked up from the trash,” she told ABC News.
“I would go to the garbage to look and would think there would be COVID in the trash but thankfully I didn’t get it. I would wash the fruit. I would wash it with hot water so my kids wouldn’t get sick and they didn’t. Only God protected us.”
Huamani’s family is one of millions in Latin American and the Caribbean who are dealing with hunger and in Peru, the situation is particularly dire.
According to a study by the COVID-19 resource center at Johns Hopkins University, Peru has the worst death rate per capita than any other nation in the world, with more than 600 deaths from the virus for every 100,000 residents. Meanwhile, in the United States there are 242 COVID deaths per 100,000 people, the study shows.
Patients overwhelmed the health care system, despite closed borders and nationwide lockdowns and amid the pandemic, the poverty crisis in Peru intensified and millions more faced hunger due to a rise in poverty.
In 2020, 30.1% of Peru’s population was affected by poverty – an increase of 9.9% since 2019, according to local statistics.
Victor Zamora, a former Peruvian health minister, told ABC News that there’s “hope” because the vaccination campaign has helped the situation, but people have yet to recover economically.
“I hope our leaders in Peru; economic and political, social leaders will find a way to lead the country out of this very poor situation,” he said.
The surge in poverty has made food distribution centers like Olla Comun, which means the “community pot,” essential for some families to survive.
“Sometimes we only think about kids but older adults need to be fed also to have a better quality of life,” a staff member at Olla Comun told ABC News.
Leybi Barrios Briceno, a mother to three young children, told ABC News that she had to move with her children to an orphanage so that they can have access to food and a safe place to spend the night.
“Someone I know told me about this place. Surely they saw I had nowhere to go or anything to eat so I came here and immediately they opened their doors to me,” she said.
“I don’t think any mother wants to sleep on the street with her kids and run the risk of them getting sick, hurt, kidnapped — all of that is scary.”
Meanwhile, Huamani is hoping that 2022 will bring better days for her and her family.
“Hopefully next year things get better. I have the hope they do,” she said.
The photo shows William, Kate and their three children, Prince George, 8, Princess Charlotte, 6, and Prince Louis, 3, all smiling while on a trip to Jordan earlier this year.
The family is posing casually in the photo, with William, George and Louis wearing shorts and short-sleeve shirts and Kate and Charlotte each wearing a dress.
The photo was shared on William and Kate’s Instagram page Friday with the caption, “Delighted to share a new image of the family, which features on this year’s Christmas card.”
Their card last year featured the Cambridges sitting on haystacks and posing in front of stacks of firewood at Anmer Hall, the family’s country home in Norfolk, England.
Dr. Mpho Shabangu is a Tshwane district vaccine coordinator. – ABC
(NEW YORK) — The omicron variant has exponentially spread in South Africa in a short time, and now experts are warning that widespread vaccine hesitancy and the lack of basic medical supplies in the region may lead to an explosive outbreak of new cases.
In just two weeks, the number of new COVID-19 cases in South Africa has surged more than 1,600%, according to an ABC News analysis of data from the National Institute for Communicable Disease. The increase coincides with the discovery of the omicron variant in southern Africa and comes as countries around the world institute protective measures against the new strain.
“We were going through a period of actually much lower level transmission of the virus and we were getting optimistic that we might have a bit of respite again from this virus,” said Dr. Richard Lessells at the University of Kwazulu-Natal in South Africa. “Unfortunately, that did not turn out to be the case.”
Before the emergence of omicron, Lessells and a team of doctors wrote a paper on the state of COVID-19 in Africa. The last sentence in his team’s abstract warned of what could come.
“Africa must not be left behind in the global pandemic response, otherwise it could become a source for new variants,” said the paper.
Omicron now accounts for the vast majority of new cases in South Africa and has reached at least 10 other African countries and the French territory of Reunion. South Africa’s Gauteng Province — home of the major city of Johannesburg — has become the epicenter, where cases are roughly seven times higher than the nation’s other provinces, according to government data.
“I think people have all lost hope when it comes to protection from COVID-19. I think many of them have developed the mindset that ‘whatever happens, happens.’ They have lost hope and are not worried about this new variant as compared to the one before,” said Busisiwe Vilakazi, a resident of Johannesburg.
Tshwane District Vaccine Coordinator Dr. Mpho Shabangu stressed, now more than ever, the importance of getting shots in arms. She led a vaccination push in Mamelodi, a town about an hour outside of Johannesburg.
“All hands are on the deck. So what we are doing currently, we are trying also to make sure that we take vaccines to the people. We’ll go in and have a pop-up site in an area so that people can come and vaccinate,” said Shabangu.
She said that many residents in Mamelodi need to be convinced to get the vaccine.
“We are actually experiencing a lot of vaccine hesitancy. I think it’s not that people don’t want to be vaccinated. People just need more information on the vaccines, especially on the issue of safety,” said Shabangu.
“We know [there] are a few countries in Africa that have discarded some of the doses and that the simple reason is that these countries received vaccines that are near expiring with a very short shelf life,” said Dr. Richard Mihigo, the coordinator of Immunization & Vaccines Development in the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa.
As it stands, roughly 7% of Africa’s population has been vaccinated, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The benchmark set by the WHO is to have 40% of the continent’s population vaccinated by the end of the year.
Issues like logistic hurdles are hampering efforts to reach that milestone, according to the WHO Regional office for Africa.
In Kenya, where less than 6% of the country is fully inoculated, five million shots have arrived within the past two weeks.
Unvaccinated resident Julius Tuyioto said he traveled miles to a hospital, only to leave without a shot.
“While we were still standing there, we were told that the vaccine was over. So, I was discharged and was not interested in following it up again,” said Tuyioto in a statement translated to English.
Clinical officer Gerald Yiaile said their vaccine supply cannot keep up with demand.
“We’ve run out of stock five days ago. We have already ordered our supply again,” said Yiaile.
In larger cities, like Nairobi, some residents say they are not ready to roll up their sleeves. Salon owner Godfrey Maale telling ABC News he’s still not convinced the vaccine works.
Salon owner Godfrey Maale said he’s still not convinced.
“I don’t want to be vaccinated because it means nothing to me. Two of my friends got vaccinated. After [a] few days… they got [the] virus,” Maale said. “You can be vaccinated and you can get virus again, so it’s nothing.”
Mihigo, the WHO regional coordinator, said social media is aiding the spread of vaccine hesitancy.
“We’ve seen in some countries really where the influence or misinformation that has been spreading through the social media has had some devastating effects in terms of acceptance of vaccination,” said Mihigo.
Continent wide, an estimated 85% of cases in Africa go undetected, according to the WHO.
In October, UNICEF projected that Africa could be short 2.2 billion syringes in 2022.
Despite the shortfalls, Shabangu said she sees hope for the future and that more people are beginning to get vaccinated as case numbers increase.
Lessells said it’s important to remember that the pandemic is global and won’t be stopped by borders.
“This is a global pandemic and it needs a global response,” he said. “We’re all in this together and we need to act responsibly as a global community.”
ABC News’ Bea Wangondu contributed to this report.
(CHIAPAS, Mexico) — A vehicle full of migrants overturned in Chiapas, Mexico, Thursday night, leaving 54 dead and 105 injured, authorities said.
“After the accident that occurred in Chiapa de Corzo, I inform you that unfortunately 49 people died at the scene and 5 more died while receiving medical attention in hospitals,” Chiapas Gov. Rutilio Escandón tweeted. “We have 105 injured (83 men and 22 women), care for the injured continues.”
Civil Protection Chiapas said on Twitter that the tragedy was the result of a “car accident of two trucks traveling on the Belisario Domínguez Bridge and Ribera Cauharé in Chiapa de Corzo.”
“I deeply regret the tragedy caused by the overturning of a trailer in Chiapas carrying Central American migrants. It’s very painful. I embrace the families of the victims,” Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador tweeted.
Mexico’s National Institute of Immigration also confirmed the incident on Twitter, saying it “regrets the death of migrants in the tragic accident that occurred in Chiapas.”
It said it is coordinating efforts with national, state and municipal authorities to provide consular assistance, identify bodies, cover funeral expenses and facilitate the repatriation of remains to countries of origin.
“Humanitarian attention that will be granted to the survivors will be accommodation, food and in case they accept, Visitor Cards for Humanitarian Reasons,” the institute wrote. “The INM will assist in the investigation of the accident.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(HONG KONG) — Hong Kong’s already-jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai was among three prominent democracy activists convicted on Thursday for taking part in a banned gathering in June 2020 to remember the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown.
Hong Kong has a long history of commemorating June 4 — it’s traditionally a day when the city’s freedoms are on show to the world — but the Tiananmen vigil has been banned since Beijing intensified its crackdown in the city after 2019’s protests, with the Hong Kong Police dubiously citing the pandemic.
Lai, who turned 74-years-old on Wednesday, was found guilty on Thursday of inciting people to join the Tiananmen gathering. Rights lawyer Chow Hang-tung and former journalist Gwyneth Ho were also convicted of taking part in the ‘unauthorized assembly’ at Victoria Park.
Judge Amanda Woodcock said that prosecutors were able to prove that Lai and Chow encouraged others to join the vigil, citing Chow’s call for people to “light candles.” Sentencing is on Dec. 13.
Lai, the founder of now-closed pro-democracy paper Apple Daily, is currently in prison serving out sentences for other charges related to his activism. He’s also still waiting to hear charges against him under the controversial national security law.
Thursday’s ruling is another worrying sign that Hong Kong’s once vibrant civil society and independent legal system is heading down a more autocratic path, in line with mainland China.
In a statement, Amnesty International said: “The Hong Kong government has once again flouted international law by convicting activists simply for their involvement in a peaceful, socially distanced vigil for those killed by Chinese troops on 4 June 1989. The authorities have deemed the vigil ‘unlawful’ because the police did not approve it, but peaceful assembly does not need government approval. These convictions merely underline the pattern of the Hong Kong authorities’ extreme efforts to exploit the law to press multiple trumped-up charges against prominent activists.”
The group added, “People should be free to peacefully mourn and remember the victims of the Tiananmen crackdown – and to prosecute people for doing so is an egregious attack on the rights to freedom of expression and assembly.”
With many of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy politicians in jail or in exile, for the first time in history the city is holding a Legislative Council election without opposition next Sunday, Dec. 19. It’s also the first city-wide poll under Beijing’s new electoral system to ensure only Chinese ‘patriots’ run Hong Kong.
In March, it passed legislation to reduce pro-democracy representation in the legislature, introducing a pro-Beijing vetting panel to screen candidates and expanding the ratio of pro-Beijing seats. This election has been postponed twice — it was originally scheduled for September 2020 — with officials citing the pandemic.
Meanwhile Chinese and Hong Kong authorities have been trying to deflect concerns about a potential record-low voter turnout. Earlier this month, an online survey found that 40% of 6,400 people polled said they “most likely” or “absolutely” would not be casting a ballot on election day.
Seemingly in response, Hong Kong Leader Carrie Lam told the Chinese tabloid the Global Times that a low turnout rate “would not mean anything,” musing that it could mean that the public was satisfied with the government and didn’t need to vote.
Nevertheless, the potential turnout was sensitive enough that the Hong Kong government issued a threat to The Wall Street Journal after it published an editorial about the upcoming election. The editorial commented that ‘not voting’ is probably one of the remaining forms of protests left in the city. However, it is against the law to incite others to boycott the election or cast blank ballots.
Before the election was delayed, democrats held an unofficial primary poll to boost their chances of gaining a majority in the chamber. Forty-seven political figures involved in the election were arrested and charged with subversion under the security law. Since then, many other democratic politicians have quit or been disqualified over oath-taking requirements.
The pro-democracy camp had seen a surge in support during the 2019 protests, enjoying landslide wins in record turnout during the District Council election in November that year.
(NEW YORK) — India’s military chief and his wife were among 13 killed in a helicopter crash around noon local time on Wednesday.
Gen. Bipin Rawat was traveling to Defence Services Staff College, Wellington in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu to address the faculty and student officers of the Staff Course. The helicopter crashed roughly 2 miles away from the college, in Coonoor.
The Indian Air Force confirmed the crash in a thread on Twitter, calling it a “tragic accident,” adding that the vehicle was an IAF Mi 17 V5, a Soviet-designed military helicopter.
One of the 14 people aboard the aircraft survived and was being treated at a hospital.
The cause of the crash wasn’t immediately known. Authorities are investigating.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Rawat “an outstanding soldier” and a “true patriot” who has greatly contributed to modernizing India’s armed forces and security apparatus.
“His insights and perspectives on strategic matters were exceptional,” Modi stated on his official Twitter account. “India will never forget his exceptional service.”
Other Indian officials express their condolences, some on social media.
“India stands united in this grief,” Rahul Gandhi, a member of the Indian National Congress, tweeted, calling the accident “an unprecedented tragedy.”
Born in 1958, Rawat became India’s first chief of defense staff, or CDS, in 2019. As the highest-ranking active duty military officer in the country, he also worked as an adviser to the minister of defense and led India’s Department of Military Affairs.
(LONDON, U.K.) — Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing calls to resign over reports that members of his staff attended a Christmas party last year while the country was in lockdown.
The Daily Mirror newspaper reported that the party took place on Dec. 18, 2020, which would have been illegal under the coronavirus restrictions in place at the time. Johnson has denied the allegation.
In a video leaked to ITV News, the prime minister’s press secretary can be heard joking about a Christmas Party, four days after the party was alleged to have taken place.
In the video, the prime minister’s press secretary and other staff members can be seen holding a mock press conference, discussing how they would respond to allegations that Downing Street had held a Christmas party.
“It wasn’t a party, it was cheese and wine,” one person can be heard saying, prompting laughs across the room. The leaked video prompted fury from opposition lawmakers and residents alike.
Allegra Stratton, the staff member seen in the video, resigned from her post on Wednesday.
At a weekly scheduled parliamentary session on Wednesday, Johnson repeatedly denied that a party had taken place, but he did apologize for the leaked video, saying: “I was also furious to see that clip … I apologize unreservedly for the offense it has caused up and down the country.”
Johnson said he had ordered an internal investigation into the incident, but the leader of the opposition Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer, has called for evidence to be handed over to the police, saying the prime minister had taken the British public for “fools.”
There will be many people asking the Prime Minister the same heartbreaking question as Trisha:
“Her Majesty the Queen sat alone when she marked the passing of the man she’d been married to for 73 years,” Starmer said. “Leadership, sacrifice – that’s what gives leaders the moral authority to lead. Does the prime minister think he has the moral authority to lead and to ask the British people to stick to the rules?”
Further fallout could be on the horizon, with one lawmaker asking the prime minister about another party that may have taken place on Nov. 13, which Johnson also denied. As of June 2021, a month before social distancing measures were fully relaxed in England, a total of 366 fines had been issued in England and Wales for large gatherings, according to the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
Critics of the prime minister say the video threatens to undermine public trust in the government, particularly at a time when new restrictions are set to be introduced to combat the spread of the omicron variant. One lawmaker, from Johnson’s own Conservative Party, went as far to suggest that the possible new restrictions, reported before the fiery exchange in Parliament, were a “diversionary tactic.”
(UKRAINE) — President Joe Biden gave his first comments Wednesday on his video call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he was “very straightforward” with the Russian leader, that “there were no minced words,” and if Putin decides to invade Ukraine, he will face consequences “like nothing he’s ever seen.”
“I was very straightforward. There were no minced words. It was polite, but I made it very clear: if in fact, he invades Ukraine, there’ll be severe consequences. Severe consequences. Economic consequences, like nothing he’s ever seen, or ever have been seen, in terms of being imposed,” Biden told reporters, after first dodging the question.
The comments come one day after a two-hour video call on Tuesday in which Biden warned Putin that the U.S. “would respond with strong economic and other measures in the event of military escalation,” the White House said, as Russia builds up its forces on its border with Ukraine.
Asked about the possibility of U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine, Biden it’s “not on the table,” but a few moments later he said it would also depend on “what the rest of the NATO countries were willing to do.”
“The idea of the United States is going to unilaterally use force to confront Russia invading Ukraine is not in the cards right now,” he said.
The president said he “made it clear” to Putin that the U.S. would “provide the defensive capability” to Ukraine and “reinforce our presence in NATO countries.”
Biden also said he expects that by Friday the U.S. and “at least four” NATO allies and Russia will be able to announce high-level meetings to discuss Russian concerns “relative to NATO writ large” and work out a deal “as it relates to bringing down the temperature along the Eastern Front.”
“The positive news is that thus far, our teams have been in constant contact,” he said. “We hope by Friday, we’re gonna be able to say., I’ll announce to you that we’re having meetings at a higher level, not just with us, but with at least four of our major NATO allies, and Russia to discuss the future of Russia’s concerns relative to NATO writ large, and whether or not we can work out any accommodations as it relates to bringing down the temperature along the Eastern Front.”
And before walking away, Biden said “I am absolutely confident he [Putin] got the message.”
(UNITED KINGDOM) — Members of Britain’s royal family got into the holiday spirit Wednesday, attending a Christmas carol service.
Prince William and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, were front and center at the service at Westminster Abbey, where the couple wed 10 years ago.
They were joined by William’s cousins Zara Tindall, who attended with her husband, Mike, and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
William’s aunt, Sophie Wessex, also attended, as did members of Kate’s family, the Middletons.
The service, “Together At Christmas,” was hosted by Duchess Kate, who chose for the occasion a festive red outfit by Catherine Walker and earrings borrowed from Queen Elizabeth.
In addition to celebrating the Christmas spirit, the service also celebrated the work of “of individuals and organizations across the U.K. who have supported their communities through the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to Kensington Palace.
Last year, amid the coronavirus pandemic, instead of attending an indoor carol service, the queen and other members of the royal family stood socially distanced outside of Windsor Castle as they listened to a Christmas concert.
This Christmas will be the family’s first without Prince Philip, who died at age 99 in April.
In past years, he and Elizabeth, who were married for 73 years, oversaw the family’s multi-day Christmas celebration at Sandringham.
Buckingham Palace has not yet announced where the queen will spend this Christmas and whether she will be joined by any members of the royal family.
The family traditionally holds their gift exchange on Christmas Eve, following the German tradition, where they often swap funny or homemade gifts.
On Christmas Day, they walk to St. Mary Magdalene Church for the Christmas service.
After the service, the royals enjoy a Christmas lunch at Sandringham and then gather to watch Queen Elizabeth II deliver her annual Christmas message.
In the evening, the royal family will get together again for a Christmas buffet dinner with 15 to 20 different delicacies prepared by the queen’s chef.
On the day after Christmas, known as Boxing Day in the U.K., the royals traditionally partake in a pheasant shoot on the grounds of Sandringham.
(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden told Russian President Vladimir Putin during a video meeting on Tuesday that the United States “would respond with strong economic and other measures in the event of military escalation,” as Russia builds up its forces on its border with Ukraine.
“President Biden voiced the deep concerns of the United States and our European Allies about Russia’s escalation of forces surrounding Ukraine and made clear that the U.S. and our Allies would respond with strong economic and other measures in the event of military escalation,” the White House said in a statement following the call, which the White House said lasted two hours and one minute.
Biden, the White House said, “reiterated his support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and called for de-escalation and a return to diplomacy.”
The call started at 10:07 a.m., according to the White House, and Russian TV showed Putin sitting at a long, wooden table looking at Biden on a TV monitor and the two men waving at each other.
“Welcome, Mr. President,” Putin said.
“Hello. Good to see you again,” Biden replied. “Unfortunately, last time we did not get to see each other at the G-20. I hope next time we meet we do it in person.”
Putin spoke from his residence in the Russian resort city Sochi. Biden was in the White House Situation Room; the White House released a photograph showing him seated with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan and other advisors.
During the meeting, the first conversation between the leaders since July, Biden planned to threaten “substantial economic countermeasures” if Russia prepared to proceed with a military invasion, a senior Biden administration official said Monday.
“What I am doing is putting together what I believe to be–will be the most comprehensive and meaningful set of initiatives to make it very, very difficult for Mr. Putin to go ahead and do what people are worried he may do,” Biden told ABC News White House correspondent MaryAlice Parks on Friday.
After his call with Putin, the White House said, Biden planned to speak with France’s President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.
The leaders had spoken the day before, after which the White House said they “called on Russia to de-escalate tensions”; agreed that diplomacy” was “the only way forward”; and “underscored their support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
The senior administration official said the U.S. was watching a series of events unfold similar to the lead-up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2014, when it annexed the Crimean Peninsula. That included moving troops to its border with Ukraine coupled with a “significant spike” in anti-Ukrainian propaganda on social media, the official said.
But, according to the official, the U.S. had not determined whether Putin had decided yet if he would attack.
“We do not know or have a clear indication that President Putin has actually made an–given an affirmative order here,” the official said in a call with reporters. “It is more about planning intentions and then the kinds of movements that we have seen.”
Ahead of the call, both the White House and Kremlin sought to lower expectations.
“It is very important not to have some overexcited, emotional expectations here,” Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s Channel One on Monday.
Asked by ABC News White House correspondent Karen Travers if the White House’s message was also to not have high expectations, White House press secretary Jen Psaki replied, “I think it is.”
“The president is not going to hold back in conveying his concern,” Psaki told another reporter.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday that Russia’s “escalation” was “an immediate threat.”
“The stakes for the president’s call couldn’t be clearer,” McConnell said during remarks on the Senate floor.
In addition to Ukraine, Biden also spoken about strategic stability, ransomware and “joint work on regional issues such as Iran,” the White House said.
The White House has made clear the U.S. is ready to support allies in the region if Russia decides to move forward with a military invasion in Ukraine.
“I think you could anticipate that in the event of an invasion, the need to reinforce the confidence and reassurance of our NATO allies and our eastern flank allies would be real, and the United States would be prepared to provide that kind of reassurance,” the senior official said Monday. “That’s just sort of applying the lessons of 2014 to 2021.”
Notably, the official wouldn’t specify whether that “reassurance” would come in the form of sanctions, U.S. forces, capabilities, or all of the above, nor what the hair trigger is for the support.
The official wouldn’t go so far as to say outright that Biden would warn Putin the U.S. military could be used if the Russian military moves into Ukraine.
After Russia invaded the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, the U.S. and the European Union leveled economic sanctions against Russia, and Russia was kicked out of the “Group of Eight” industrialized nations.
The United States also sent 600 troops to eastern Europe in a show of solidarity with Baltic nations on Russia’s border. That deployment has morphed into a rotating set of relatively small U.S. deployments to eastern European nations.
“I don’t want to use a public press call to talk about the particular sensitive challenges that President Biden will lay out for President Putin,” the official said of Tuesday’s call. “But I would say that the United States is not seeking to end up in a circumstance in which the focus of our countermeasures is the direct use of American military force, as opposed to a combination of support for the Ukrainian military, strong economic countermeasures, and substantial increase in support and capability to our NATO allies to ensure they remain safe.”
In short: Biden will “make clear that there will be very real cost should Russia choose to proceed, but he will also make clear that there is an effective way forward with respect to diplomacy,” the official said.
The administration’s preferred option for response to any Russian aggression would be a series of economic sanctions in concert with European partners, and the official warned those would be “severe.”
“We believe that we have a path forward that would involve substantial economic countermeasures by both the Europeans and the United States that would impose significant and severe economic harm on the Russian economy, should they choose to proceed. I’m not going to get into the specific details of that, but we believe that there is a way forward here that will allow us to send a clear message to Russia, that there will be genuine and meaningful and enduring costs to choosing to go forward should they choose to go forward with a military escalation in Ukraine,” the official warned.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday ahead of Biden’s call with Putin, and Zelensky tweeted that he had “agreed positions” with Blinken.
“Grateful to strategic partners & allies for the continued support of our sovereignty & territorial integrity,” Zelensky wrote.
Biden himself will call Zelenskyy to provide a readout of his conversation with Putin afterward, the official said.
ABC News’ Benjamin Siegel, Tanya Stukalova, Patrick Reevell and Trish Turner contributed to this report.
