U.S. threats strengthen Russia’s determination to follow the outlined course in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on her Telegram channel, commenting on a warning from the U.S. that any accession of Ukrainian regions to Russia risks new sanctions.
"The White House is wrong, for the U.S. has been imposing `new sanctions’ regardless of whether Ukrainian regions join Russia or not. So, their latest threat has missed its goal. The opposite is true - it has strengthened our resolve to follow the set course," she remarked.