diplomacy and dialog may be fruitful and areas where we are sincerely and steadfastly interested in engaging in that diplomacy and areas where it s a nonstarter. one of your colleagues at the white house on a background call said that if if it gets down to the point you re going to impose sanctions, quote, we ll start at the top of the escalation ladder and stay there. i m just wondering, is that a wise thing to do to start at the very top so that only thing only thing more you could do would be to would be some kind of military action? let me take a step back and answer that question this way. first, you have heard from us consistently, you ve heard this consistently in the categories of things we ve been consistent about f any russian forces move across the ukrainian border f there is a renewed invasion, it
crisis there is likely to be top of mind. let s listen in for a minute. start with russia today. the decision by russian authorities to add imprisoned opposition figure alexei navalny and eight of his allies to the registry of so-called extremist terrorist is disturbing. russian authorities have criminalized one of the country s remaining independent movements with their designation of navalny affiliated organizations as, quote, unquote, extremist. the latest designation represents a new low in russia s crackdown on independent civil society. we urge russia to cease the abuse of, quote, unquote, extremism designation to target nonviolent organizations, end its repression of mr. navalny and supporters and honor its ob fwligations to respect and ensure human rights and fundamental freedoms. the russian people, like all people v the right to speak friel, form peaceful