WASHINGTON, February 16. /TASS/. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday told a group of experts in a Zoom call that Washington actively encouraging Ukraine to try to capture Crimea as Russia would see it as crossing a red line, Politico reported, citing people familiar with the official’s comments.

"According to four people with knowledge of Blinken’s response, he conveyed that the U.S. isn’t actively encouraging Ukraine to retake Crimea, but that the decision is Kiev’s alone," the report said. "A Ukrainian attempt to retake Crimea would be a red line for [Russian President] Vladimir Putin that could lead to a wider Russian response, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a Zoom call with a group of experts Wednesday."