Pentagon chief Austin on the situation with Ukraine and Russia: we hope for “temperature reduction” 
in connection with the situation around Ukraine. He stated this at a meeting with his colleague from South Korea So Ukom in Seoul, TASS reports.
Austin, commenting on the situation on the Russian-Ukrainian border, noted that the United States hopes for Moscow in the matter of “lowering the temperature ” in the region. According to him, Washington expects that Russian President Vladimir Putin will be more open, and the Russian authorities will work to resolve issues and problems.
Earlier, White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed the US readiness to introduce new sanctions against Russia because of Ukraine. According to Psaki, the United States expressed “concern about threatening rhetoric” by Russia and “about reports of an increase in the number of troops” on the border with Ukraine. She noted that the United States is in contact on this issue with both the Russian and Ukrainian sides, and also stressed that the White House is ready to use sanctions against Russia.