Strictly Warns Russia About Ukraine, British Foreign Minister: Russia Is The Aggressor, NATO Is Always On The Defensive

JAKARTA - Britain warned Moscow on Thursday that it cooperated with Western partners in preparing high-impact sanctions targeting Russia's financial sector if it attacked Ukraine.

Russia is known to have amassed about 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, although Moscow says it has no plans to attack its neighbor.

Meanwhile, President Vladimir Putin has also demanded legally binding guarantees that NATO will not expand further east.

"We will not accept Russia's campaign to overthrow its democratic neighbor," Foreign Minister Liz Truss told parliament.

"They mistakenly refer to Ukraine as a threat to justify their aggressive attitude. Russia is the aggressor here, NATO has always been a defensive alliance," said Foreign Minister Truss.

Russia annexed Crimea's Black Sea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, prompting sanctions and condemnation from the West, while Kyiv hopes its territory returns to their lap.

Foreign Minister Truss further said that any further military attack on Ukraine by Russia would have grave consequences, including coordinated sanctions to impose severe costs on Russia's interests and economy.

"The UK is working closely with our partners on these sanctions, including high-impact actions targeting Russia's financial sector and individuals," Truss said.

Foreign Minister Truss said he would visit Kyiv later this month, with the situation reaching a pivotal moment as there is only one way forward: for President Putin to step back from the abyss.

"It is imperative that NATO unite in countering Russia's threatening behavior," Truss said.

On the same occasion, Foreign Minister Truss underlined that Britain was against the Nord Stream 2 pipeline under the Baltic Sea.

"Europe must reduce its dependence on Russian gas. The UK remains against Nord Stream 2 and I am working with allies and partners to highlight the strategic risks of this project."

For information, President Putin previously said that NATO's eastward expansion since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 was a threat to Russia, which he judged had no place to retreat. He has warned the West against ignoring his concerns.