Issues Strict Warning, European Union Prepares Strict Sanctions For Moscow If Russia Attacks Ukraine

JAKARTA - The European Union's chief executive warned Russia on Wednesday it had a series of additional sanctions ready to be imposed if Moscow decided to attack Ukraine.

Ahead of the EU summit on the issue, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed, in addition to increasing and expanding existing sanctions, the EU could adopt "unprecedented measures with serious consequences for Russia."

Von der Leyen told the European Parliament that there were already economic sanctions targeting Russia's finance, energy and sectors due to its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula in 2014 and actions the west sees as increasingly aggressive since. However, he did not specify what the new sanctions were.

US intelligence officials say Russia has moved 70,000 troops to the Ukrainian border, preparing for a possible invasion early next year. Meanwhile, Moscow denies having any plans to invade Ukraine, dismissing Western concerns as part of a smear campaign.

In a draft conclusion to Thursday's summit of EU leaders seen by The Associated Press (AP), the 27 countries pledged that "any further military aggression against Ukraine will have grave consequences and great costs in response."

The European Union will coordinate any sanctions package with the United States and the United Kingdom.

"Above all, I ask Russia to reduce tensions, pursue diplomatic channels and abide by its international commitments," von der Leyen said, citing AP Dec. 15.

Von der Leyen said the European Union was working with the United States to work out options beyond existing sanctions, which target Russia's financial and energy sectors, dual-use goods and defense.

"Our response to further aggression could be a strong escalation and expansion of this existing sanctions regime," he said.

"And of course we are ready to take additional, unprecedented measures with serious consequences for Russia."

While some countries see an attack imminent, others, such as France and Germany, believe there is still time for diplomacy to work. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Brussels late Wednesday.

In 2015, France and Germany brokered a peace agreement that helped end large-scale hostilities in eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces have been battling Russian-backed separatists since 2014.

Attempts to reach a political settlement to the separatist conflict, which has killed more than 14,000 people in seven years, have failed. Sporadic fighting continued along tense lines of contact. Russia has so far refused to meet France and Germany for further peace talks on the conflict.