xe2x80x8bRussiaxe2x80x99s ambassador to Sweden said President Vladimir Putin doesnxe2x80x99t xe2x80x9cgive a sxe2x80x93txe2x80x9d about sanctions that the US and its allies have threatened to slap on Moscow if it invades Ukraine.

xe2x80x9cExcuse my language, but we donxe2x80x99t give a sxe2x80x93t about all their sanctions,xe2x80x9d Viktor Tatarintsev told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet in an interview published on Saturday.

xe2x80x9cWe have already had so many sanctions and in that sense theyxe2x80x99ve had a positive effect on our economy and agriculture,xe2x80x9d Tatarinstsev said, adding that Russia has become xe2x80x9cself-sufficientxe2x80x9d and will weather any economic penalties imposed by the US and its allies.xc2xa0

xe2x80x9cxe2x80x8bWe are more self-sufficient and have been able to increase our exports. We have no Italian or Swiss cheeses, but wexe2x80x99ve learned to make just as good Russian cheeses using Italian and Swiss recipesxe2x80x8b,xe2x80x9dxc2xa0he said.xe2x80x8b

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that a xe2x80x9cdiplomatic pathxe2x80x9d still exists to defuse the crisis in Ukraine despite a high-stakes hour-long call between President Biden and Putin and the USxe2x80x99 decision to remove US embassy staff from Kyiv.

At the same time, the Kremlin has been reinforcing the more than 100,000 troops already stationed along Ukrainexe2x80x99s border, is conducting joint military drills in Belarus and has bolstered its naval presence in the Black Sea.

The level of Russian forces arrayed against Ukraine has led US officials to warn that an attack could come as soon as this week.

Blinken said he spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov after the Biden-Putin conversation and reiterated that the US was open to a diplomatic resolution, but that it was also prepared to take serious steps if Russia invades.

xe2x80x9cI raised our serious concerns that Moscow may be considering launching a military attack against Ukraine in the coming days. I made clear, as President Biden did today in his conversation with President Putin, that a diplomatic path to resolving this crisis xe2x80x93 a crisis created by the unprovoked massing of Russian forces all around Ukraine xe2x80x93 that diplomatic path remains open,xe2x80x9d Blinken said late Saturday in Hawaii.

xe2x80x9cI also underscored that if Moscow chooses the path of aggression and further invades Ukraine, the response from the United States and our allies and partners will be swift, it will be united, it will be severe,xe2x80x9d Americaxe2x80x99s top diplomat said at a news conference with South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa.

Biden told Putin that an attack on Ukraine would be met with xe2x80x9cswift and severe costsxe2x80x9d during his phone call on Saturday.

xe2x80x9cPresident Biden was clear that, if Russia undertakes a further invasion of Ukraine, the United States together with our Allies and partners will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia,xe2x80x9d the White House said in a statement.

It also said an invasion would xe2x80x9cproduce widespread human suffering and diminish Russiaxe2x80x99s standing,xe2x80x9d adding that the US and its allies xe2x80x9care equally prepared for other scenariosxe2x80x9d should diplomacy fail.

A Putin aide characterized the call as xe2x80x9cbalanced and businesslikexe2x80x9d but said that the US has still not addressed Russiaxe2x80x99s demand that Ukraine and other former Soviet states be barred from joining NATO.

A senior Biden administration official said in a briefing call after the Biden-Putin conversation that xe2x80x8bRussiaxe2x80x99s aggressiveness has already created conditions that the Russian leader is trying to reverse.xc2xa0

Along with the NATO demand, Putin is also seeking guarantees that Western nations drawback their forces from Eastern Europe and not deploy missile systems inside Ukraine.xc2xa0

The administration official said the US has deployed 3,000 troops to Poland, Germany and Romania and has sent millions of dollars worth of military equipment to Ukraine because of the standoff.xc2xa0

On Friday, the Pentagon announced it would send an additional 3,000 troops to Poland.xc2xa0

xe2x80x9cWe are intensifying our efforts to deter Russia and to impose costs should it decide to go ahead with military action anyway,xe2x80x9d the administration official said. xc2xa0

xe2x80x8bxe2x80x9dxe2x80x8bWhatever Russia decides, our assessment is that their efforts to improve their strategic position are already failing and that this will only be exacerbated should they decide to take military actionxe2x80x8b,xe2x80x9d the official continued, noting that NATO unity has been stronger than it has been for some time.xc2xa0

In Hawaii, Blinken addressed the evacuation of US embassy personnel from Ukraine.xc2xa0

xe2x80x9cThe risk of Russian military action is high enough, and the threat is imminent enough, that this is the prudent thing to do. xc2xa0No one should be surprised if Russia instigates a provocation or incident, which it then uses to justify military action it had planned all along,xe2x80x9d he saidxe2x80x8b.

xe2x80x8bxe2x80x9dxe2x80x8bA core team will remain in Ukraine with our dedicated Ukrainian colleagues as we continue to work relentlessly to resolve this crisis through deterrence and diplomacy. Our security assistance to Ukraine xe2x80x93 as well as aid for other sectors like public health, economic development xe2x80x93 all of that will continuexe2x80x8b,xe2x80x9d Blinken said.xc2xa0 xe2x80x8bxc2xa0