From transcripts of three January 23rd broadcasts. His tone and language are typical of those used toward a country Washington is preparing to attack. Not only the government but the people are viewed contemptuously, even dehumanized with statements like “This is very much part of the Russian playbook (toolkit)” and “engaging in diplomacy doesn’t take the word ‘nyet’ of [presumably off or out of] your vocabulary,” both of which he repeats at least once.

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Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Dana Bash of CNN State of the Union

SECRETARY BLINKEN: [Just] last week we sanctioned four agents of Russia, Ukrainians in Ukraine, seeking to destabilize the government. So this is very much part of the Russian toolkit. It runs the gamut from a large conventional incursion or invasion of Ukraine to these kind of destabilizing activities in an attempt to topple a government. And it’s important that people be on notice about that possibility.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: We’ve given Russia two paths….[There’s] a path of its renewed aggression and massive consequences that we have been building now for many weeks. And it’s not just us that’s saying it. The G7, the world’s leading democratic economies, have been clear about that. The European Union’s been clear about that. NATO’s been clear about that.

And as we’re doing that, we’ve provided more defensive assistance, military assistance, to Ukraine last year than at any time in the past. I just authorized, myself, the provision of American-origin military equipment that’s with third countries – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania – to get to Ukraine. And we are in intense, regular, constant communication, consultation, with allies and partners to make it very clear that these massive consequences will follow.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: …I was very clear with Foreign Minister Lavrov, as we’ve been, that there are certain basic principles that we’re not by one iota going to compromise on, including, for example, NATO’s open door, the right of countries to choose with whom they’ll associate, which alliances they’ll join.

Even as we engage in diplomacy and dialogue, something that I do for a living, it doesn’t take the word “no” out of your vocabulary. And as we’re doing it, we’re building up our defense, we’re building up our deterrence, to make sure that Russia understands that if it doesn’t follow the diplomatic course, if it renews its aggression, there will be very significant consequences.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: [T]he United States taking the lead in bringing countries throughout Europe and even beyond together in putting together massive consequences for Russia if it takes renewed aggressive action in Ukraine, as I mentioned, we’re providing and last year alone provided more military assistance to Ukraine than at any year in the past. We have been going against those inside Ukraine trying to destabilize the government. So we’re taking concrete action….

SECRETARY BLINKEN: One of the things that we’ve been very clear about besides the massive economic financial consequences that would befall Russia…is the ongoing, continued buildup of defense capacity in Ukraine and, equally, continuing to build up NATO’s defensive capacities, including on the so-called eastern flank, the countries near Russia. And the Alliance is looking at very practical and important measures that it would take….

SECRETARY BLINKEN: If a single additional Russian force goes into Ukraine in an aggressive way, as I said, that would trigger a swift, a severe, and a united response from us and from Europe. And again, there are other things that Russia could do that fall short of actually sending additional forces into Ukraine, and again, across the board we’re prepared with Europe for a swift and calibrated and very united response. We’re looking at every single scenario, preparing for every single one.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: He’s exactly right. [Biden, on comparing the current situation to World War II.] And again, this underscores why this is so important not just for Ukraine, not just for Russia, not just for Europe and the United States, but for the world, because what’s at stake here….

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Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Chuck Todd of NBC Meet the Press

SECRETARY BLINKEN: …We’ve been concerned and have been warning about exactly these kind of tactics for weeks, and we’ve talked about that publicly, that Russia would try to in some way topple or replace the government. Just a few days ago we sanctioned four Russian agents in Ukraine who were engaged in destabilizing activities. This is very much part of the Russian playbook…..

SECRETARY BLINKEN: …It’s also important that people around the world, whether it’s in Europe, the United States, or beyond, understand the kinds of things that could be in the offing – a false flag operation to try and create a false pretext for going in. It’s important that people know that that’s something that’s in the playbook, too.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: [T]here’s no question of capitulation. The question is whether there are ways to advance our collective security….[O]ne thing that’s important to remember, as someone who engages in diplomacy, engaging in diplomacy doesn’t take the word “nyet” of your vocabulary.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Chuck, we have been clear that, first, in the event that there is a renewed Russian incursion, Russian forces going into Ukraine, there is going to be a swift, a severe, and united response. But we’ve also been clear that there are other things – we were just talking about this – that Russia could do short of sending forces into Ukraine again to try to destabilize or topple the government – cyber attacks, hybrid means, et cetera. And there we’ve also been clear there’ll be a swift response, there’ll be a calibrated response, there’ll be a united response. And so what we’re doing – and I’ve been engaged in close consultations with all of our European allies and partners, including in Europe last week on the phone virtually every day, to make sure that across all of these scenarios we have a clear and united response. And we will.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: [T]his is a concern that should extend not only to Europe and the United States, but in a sense it should concern the entire world, because what’s at stake here is not simply the relationship between Ukraine and Russia or even between Europe and Russia or the United States and Russia.

[I]f you let that go unchecked, that opens a Pandora’s box that countries far away from Europe will take into account.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: …I sat with Chancellor Scholz just last week for an hour and listened very carefully to him. I’ve been on the phone and saw my own German counterpart, Foreign Minister Baerbock. And I can tell you that the Germans very much share our concerns and are resolute in being determined to respond and to respond swiftly, effectively, and in a united way. I have no doubts about that.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: …[W]e are not sitting still. Even as we’re engaged in diplomacy, even as we’re engaged in dialogue, we are building up defense, we’re building up deterrence. We’ve now provided to Ukraine more security assistance this year than in any previous year. We have rallied allies and partners around the world. We are preparing massive consequences for Russia if it invades Ukraine again….

Ultimately, we’ve given Russia two paths. It has to choose.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: [I]f we need to make a determination that we should draw down some of the folks at the embassy, we’ll do that based on the security needs.

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Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Margaret Brennan of CBS Face the Nation

SECRETARY BLINKEN: [T]here is a path of diplomacy and dialogue….There is also the path of Russian aggression and massive consequences for Russia if it engages in that aggression. And so I tried to make clear both paths in my meeting with Foreign Minister Lavrov in Geneva this week, and we’ll see if we can advance the diplomacy. But even as we’re doing that, we’re preparing, building up defenses, building up deterrence, if Russia chooses the other path.

SECRETARY BLINKEN:  …We have rallied allies and partners across Europe in a very intense way over the last weeks to make very clear that there would be massive consequences for renewed Russian aggression.  We provided more military assistance to Ukraine last year than in any previous year.

SECRETARY BLINKEN:  We’ve been going after agents of Russia in Ukraine seeking to destabilize the government. I just approved the transfer of U.S.-origin military technology in other countries to Ukraine. So we are proceeding on both paths at the same time. We’ll be ready either way. The choice is Vladimir Putin’s.

SECRETARY BLINKEN: …This is about more even than Ukraine and Russia, more even than Europe-Russia, the United States-Russia….

SECRETARY BLINKEN:  [We] are very much focused on building up defense, building up deterrence, both for Ukraine, NATO itself.  NATO itself will continue to be reinforced in a significant way if Russia commits renewed acts of aggression.