The European Union is ready to impose “unprecedented” economic sanctions if Russia attacks Ukraine, the Danish Foreign Minister said today before today’s meeting of EU Foreign Ministers, while his Austrian counterpart stressed that all kinds of economic sanctions are likely to be imposed.
“There is no doubt that we are ready to react with comprehensive, unprecedented sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine again,” Gepe Coffont told reporters, declining to say which areas would be targeted.
“Russia should know, (President Vladimir) Putin should know that the price for using provocations and military force to change borders in Europe will be very, very high … We are ready to impose the most “Strict sanctions, stricter than in 2014,” he said.
The EU, along with the US, imposed economic sanctions on Russia in July 2014, following Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula, targeting Russian energy, banking and defense sectors.
Democrats in the US Senate have introduced a bill to punish possible Russian officials and military leaders, as well as Russian banking institutions.
However, German Chancellor Olaf Solz called on Europe and the United States to think carefully when considering sanctions, stressing the challenges of agreeing on a common approach.
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Salenberg said that everything is on the table.
But he also pointed out that Austria’s dependent on Russia for 40% of its gas, adding that when asked about possible sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, imposing sanctions on something that still does not work is not a credible threat.
“We are here to do what we can to prevent war,” said Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn.
At the moment, the EU has no plans to withdraw the families of diplomats from Ukraine, said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, after Washington announced such a move.
“We will not do the same because we do not have a specific reason to do so. “But (US) Secretary of State Blinken will let us know,” Borel told reporters on arrival at a meeting with his EU counterparts, in which Blinken is expected to attend by video around 4pm. Greece).
The British Embassy in Ukraine announced today that some of its staff and their families are moving away from Kiev.
“Negotiations are continuing,” Borrell said, adding that he saw no reason for EU diplomats to leave Ukraine “unless Minister Blinken gives us information to justify such an action.”
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