Belgium: 'We have a very tough package prepared' - Borrell on possible Russia sanctions

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EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said a ‘very tough’ package of sanctions had been prepared for possible use against Russia in the event of an attack on Ukraine, in comments made in Brussels on Thursday following a short summit of EU leaders.

“We still believe on the diplomatic process. And we will concentrate all our efforts on diplomatic activity. But on the other hand, and the Council today has been informed about it, we have already prepared a full package of sanctions,” he said.

Russia has consistently denied claims it is amassing troops on the border with the intention of launching an invasion of Ukraine. On Saturday, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said that the media were spreading “false information about Russian intentions.”

SOUNDBITES:

SOT, Josep Borrell, EU foreign policy chief: “We have got news about some withdrawal of troops but it has not evidence of it - we don’t have evidence of it. I am just coming from a NATO ministerial meeting to talk about coordination between the European Union and NATO and certainly nobody has evidence of this withdrawal of troops. But what we have evidence of, and we are very much concerned, very much worried, is about increasing fighting, and heavy shelling in some parts of the border.”

SOT, Josep Borrell, EU foreign policy chief: “We still believe on the diplomatic process. And we will concentrate all our efforts on diplomatic activity. But on the other hand, and the Council today has been informed about it, we have already prepared a full package of sanctions. We have been working on that, I have been in touch with the U.S., with all our like-minded countries, with a technical support of the Commission we have a very tough package prepared and, as High Representative, I am ready to present this package to the Council because it is the Council that has the responsibility, the capability of approving sanctions and it is up to me to present the package of sanctions. And I will do it as soon as needed. If there is an aggression I will immediately call a Foreign Affairs Council to propose the package of sanctions. And I am sure that even if unanimity is required, the Council will approve them.”

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