The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, warned Russia on Monday 13 December not to take any aggressive action against Ukraine.
“The (European foreign) ministers were very clear: any aggression against Ukraine will have political consequences and a severe economic cost for Russia”, said Borrell after the Foreign Affairs Council. He said the EU was in “deterrence mode”. We must “prepare for the worst and hope for the best”, the High Representative summarised.
Upon arriving at the Council, Lithuanian Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis explained that the sanctions on the table were economic and financial. Noting that deterrence was the best way to prevent war, he said that sanctions should be “unprecedented”. He added: “We must be ready and stand strong in our response”, because “Russia has prepared for a conflict”.
Mr Borrell also said that the EU would continue to work closely with like-minded transatlantic partners who share the same values. In his opinion, the EU, along with the US and the UK, is studying “what the sanctions could be. When and how, in a coordinated manner”.
The day before, the G7 foreign ministers, meeting in Liverpool, had condemned with “one voice” the military build-up and Moscow’s aggressive rhetoric towards Kiev. They had called on Russia to calm down, to pursue diplomatic channels and to respect its international commitments on the transparency of military activities.
“Russia should be in no doubt that further military aggression against Ukraine would have massive consequences and severe cost in response”, warned the G7 in a statement, adding that they would intensify their cooperation as part of their joint and comprehensive response.
Read the G7 statement: https://bit.ly/3pUJXp0 (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)