MUNICH, Germany — Vice President Kamala Harris, in her most high-stakes appearance on the world stage, affirmed U.S. support for Ukraine on Friday during meetings with European leaders and again urged Russia toward diplomacy even though it appeared to be on the cusp of invading its neighbor.
On the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Harris met with Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which is coordinating efforts by the leading Western democracies to fortify Ukraine's defenses and, with the threat of severe economic sanctions, to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from violating its sovereignty.
"This is a dynamic moment in time," Harris said at the start of the meeting, asserting that Putin's buildup of troops has bolstered NATO. "We remain, of course, supportive of diplomacy as it relates to the dialogue and discussions we've had with Russia. But we are also committed to taking corrective actions to ensure there will be severe consequences in terms of the sanctions we have discussed, and we know the alliance is strong in that regard."
Stoltenberg concurred with Harris' assessment that Putin's decision to test NATO has strengthened the transatlantic alliance.
"The reality is that North America and Europe are doing more together now than they've done for many years," he said. "That's important to deal with the aggressive actions of Russia, but also to address a more competitive world and the security consequences of the rise of China."
The Biden administration has worked to highlight the ongoing buildup of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine and in neighboring Belarus, pushing back hard on the notion that Putin is serious about drawing down forces and returning to the negotiating table. On Thursday, both President Biden and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, in a speech at the United Nations, warned that an invasion by Russia appeared to be imminent.
The White House has also continued to focus attention on the likelihood of a Kremlin attempt to create a false pretext for an invasion. Russian state-controlled media have been issuing a steady stream of disinformation alleging atrocities against ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Moscow separatists have been fighting off and on against Ukrainian forces since 2014.
In Germany, Harris is also scheduled to meet with the leaders of the three Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, all of which border Russia and became NATO members following the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Friday's meetings set the stage for Harris' speech to the full conference Saturday, where, aides say, she plans to emphasize the importance of a united NATO and assert that Putin, by testing the alliance, has strengthened it and that an invasion of Ukraine would leave Russia far weaker economically.
She will also meet Saturday with Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who, despite the possibility of a Russian assault, plans to fly to Munich for several hours of meetings. Additionally, Harris is scheduled to meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
She is planning to return to Washington on Sunday.
