Kamala Harris Warns Vladimir Putin from Romania: NATO ‘Prepared to Act’ if Russia Attacks

Vice President Kamala Harris warned Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday that NATO was united and willing to defend “every inch” of their territory.

“We take seriously and are prepared to act on the words we speak when we say, an attack against one is an attack against all,” Harris said during a press conference on Friday in Romania with President Klaus Iohannis.

Harris pointed to the 1000 member Stryker squadron deployed to the Eastern front of NATO territory to join 2,000 American troops, who were ready to defend NATO allies.

She also noted that to the “historic sanctions” enacted by the United States to level “serious consequences and accountability” on Russia for their actions.

Harris spoke about the success of the economic sanctions, noting Putin was experiencing “a free fall of the ruble,” a closed Russian stock market, and added, “their credit rating is now junk.”

She reminded Romanians they lived right next to Russia, telling reporters about where they were positioned on a map.

Harris said:

All you have to do is look at the map and see that where Romania exists geographically, and as is the case for our allies on the eastern flank, that there are potential vulnerabilities, which is why we say very clearly we will dedicate and have been especially enhancing over the last few weeks our support based on their current needs.

Harris also previewed future actions the United States was prepared to add to Russia’s economic pain.

“There will be more announcements about more action that we will take to ensure serious consequence for what is atrocious and outrageous conduct on behalf of the Russian people by Putin,” she said.

Harris said her trip to Romania and Poland was an effort to reinforce the Biden administration’s commitment to the NATO alliance, despite the economic pain felt by Americans at home.

“There is a price to stand with democracy, gotta stand with your friends … sometimes it’s difficult, often it ain’t easy, but that’s what the friendship is about based on shared values so that’s what we’re doing,” she said.