U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Sunday that she could not confirm if Ukrainian citizens were being deported from Mariupol, Ukraine to Russia after the Mariupol City Council suggested such deportations were happening.
During an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," host Jake Tapper asked the ambassador if the U.S. had knowledge of these deportations and to comment on how disturbing it is if they are occurring. The city council said a thousand people, most of whom were women and children, were being deported to Russia.
Thomas-Greenfield responded that she has "only heard it" but "can't confirm it."
"But I can say it is disturbing," she said. "It is unconscionable for Russia to force Ukrainian citizens into Russia and put them in what will basically be concentration and prisoner camps. So this is something that we need to verify. Russia should not be moving Ukrainian citizens against their will into Russia."
She also said that the U.S. will "respond aggressively" if the Russian military uses chemical weapons to attack Ukrainians, a move the White House says is a possibility.
"They have used chemical weapons against their own people. And we are concerned that they may use chemical weapons in Ukraine." Thomas-Greenfield said.
"We have been clear. If they escalate to this level, we will respond aggressively to what they are doing," she continued. "You have seen the consequences so far of our actions against Russia and against [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. And they are feeling those consequences. And they will feel more if they take this unfortunate decision to use chemical weapons."