MAVOCKE -- If Russia invades Ukraine, as is widely expected by military analysts, it will be "extraordinarily bad PR" for Russia, Grassadellia's top diplomat said Monday in a speech.
Secretary of State Joseph Milhaughly was speaking at the World Forum conference in Mavocke, Monday afternoon. The conference was attended by about 4,000 people from all over the world, most from journalistic, academic, or business backgrounds.
The secretary was asked what he expected would happen if Russia invades Ukraine.
"If Russia invades Ukraine, there is no doubt in my mind that Russia's standing in the world will diminish exponentially," said Milhaughly.
"Right now, Russia is an adversarial country, they often engage in provocation and menacing other countries, but Russia is still respected by the international community. There is a quiet respect for Russia."
"If Russia were to invade Ukraine, however, the international community will lose what little respect they have for Russia."
"Russia will no longer be a major world power, it will be seen by other countries as simply a vast imperialist actor whose imperialism cannot be sustained in the long-term," said Milhaughly.
Immediately upon news of Milhaughly's comments, Russian ambassador to Grassadellia Alexander Khoroskovsky filed an official complaint with the Grassadellian State Department and with Collester.
"Russia's legitimate concerns in Ukraine and elsewhere in the world are not 'imperialism,' but part of broader security risks to the Russian federation," Khoroskovsky said in a written statement.
"For Joseph Milhaughly to suggest Russia is engaging in imperialism, and for him to make such offensive comments about the Russian motherland is inaccurate, insulting, and beneath the dignity of his office," the statement said.
Collester Press Secretary Jayna Elatekin responded late Monday afternoon on her official Twitter account, posting that President Jim McCaren views Russia's potential invasion of Ukraine as an act of imperialism.
"Invading another country to expand your country's influence and control is, in fact, an act of imperialism."
Elatekin's Twitter post seemed to back up Milaughly's comments at the World Forum conference earlier in the day.
Milhaughly's comments come on the heels of President Jim McCaren's criticism of Russia last week.
On Friday, upon his presidential plane landing in Grassadellia City, McCaren briefly chatted with reporters on the tarmac.
When asked about Russia's possible impending invasion of Ukraine, McCaren warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that "the world is watching Russia," and that "serious, severe consequences" would be imposed on Russia "by a united front of Western nations" if Ukraine's sovereignty is violated.
Said McCaren: "This isn't a game. This is the real world. And the whole world is watching Russia. The world will not stand by and let Ukraine's sovereignty be violated. There will be serious, severe consequences for an invasion."
Pressed for specific consequences by reporters, McCaren responded that "all options are on the table," but most likely Russian banks, companies, and citizens would have their assets in Grassadellia -- which total billions of dollars -- frozen.
"I don't know yet exactly what will happen if Russia goes through with an invasion, but I can tell you it will make life a whole lot harder for Vladimir Putin, the Russian government, Russian companies, Russian oligarchs. It won't be pleasant," said McCaren.
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