The high representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, assured this Thursday that “the shelling has started in some parts of the border” of eastern Ukrainebut stated that the EU countries will not approve sanctions against Russia until “the level of intensity of the aggression requires it”.
“We’ve had news of a withdrawal of (Russian) troops, but no evidence of that,” said Borrell after a meeting of the heads of state of the EU government to discuss the tension with Ukraine, in which they did not adopt any decision.
“What we have evidence of and are very concerned about is the increased fighting and heavy shelling on some parts of the borderexactly the part that I visited in early January,” Borrell said, referring to his visit to the contact line in eastern Ukraine.
The head of European diplomacy also said that “in the last few hours” they have noticed “a lot of misinformation from Russia to create an atmosphere of attacks against Russians in this part of Ukraine.” “And if we add to that that the Duma (Russian lower house) has voted to ask President (Vladimir) Putin to recognize the independence” of the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Lugansk, “the whole package adds to our concerns,” he said.”Certainly, we are much more concernedBorrell said.
Before attending the meeting with the Twenty-seven, the head of European diplomacy had been at NATO headquarters, where the Alliance’s defense ministers assured that Russia has increased its military presence on the border with Ukraine.
Borrell stated that “is prepared” to present “as soon as possible” to its European counterparts the package of sanctions against Russia that the EU has been preparing with its Western allies. “We will do it when the time comes, when the level of intensity of the aggression requires it,” assured the former Spanish minister, who also pointed out that “Europe is completely united” on the sanctions, among which there will be financial and energy measures.
cross accusations
The Ukrainian government and pro-Russian separatist militias backed by Moscow have accused each other of violating the ceasefire regime in eastern Ukraine, where they have been fighting for nearly eight years in a conflict that has claimed more than 14,000 lives.
The ceasefire in Donbas has been breached since it was established in 2015 with minor or major incidents, which is collected every day by the Special Monitoring Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).