EU threatens Russia with 'unprecedented measures' over Ukraine

The European Union (EU) has threatened Russia with "unprecedented measures" and "serious consequences" in response to "further aggression" against Ukraine.

Speaking in the European Parliament, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday that the bloc had worked closely with the United States to draw up options going beyond existing sanctions against Russia's financial and energy sectors, dual-use goods and defense.

"Our response to any further aggression may take the form of a robust scaling-up and expansion of these existing sanctions regimes," she said.

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

The United States, its NATO allies, and Ukraine accuse Moscow of amassing troops near Ukraine's border for a possible invasion. Russia says there is no such plan. Moscow also says Washington is involved in aggressive moves in the Black Sea, where Ukraine and the US have held military drills recently.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned against further expansion by NATO toward his country but said the Kremlin wanted security talks with the West to begin without delay. He warned the West against crossing the Kremlin's red line of staging military exercises in and sending weaponry to Ukraine.

SS