EU leaders press Russia for renewed talks and peace process dialogue with Ukraine

European Union leaders on Thursday urged for renewed talks and peace process dialogue with Russia, threatening the unprecedented sanctions if Moscow launched a military offensive against Kyiv. “Let there be no doubt. If Russia were to move against Ukraine, the Union will be in a position to take sanctions that could extract a massive cost,” European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen told a news conference after a crucial summit of EU leaders in Brussels, according to the European media reports. Her remark came as the United States and Britain earlier echoed similar warnings, saying that if Russian armed forces cross the border, there will be sanctions worse than those imposed in response to Russia’s annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula.

Return to negotiating table: EU to Kremlin 

After a crucial round table meeting at an EU Summit in Brussels on Thursday about Russia's military threat to neighbouring Ukraine, the European Union leaders in a joint statement asked Russia to return to the negotiating table.

This came after the Kremlin announced that it has submitted draft documents outlining security arrangements that it wants to negotiate with the United States and its NATO allies. A senior Russian envoy was ready to immediately depart for talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, according to Associated Press. He also added that Russian President Vladimir Putin may also arrange another call with US President Joe Biden in order to defuse military tensions on the frontier with Ukraine. 

Last week, in a virtual meeting with his Russian counterpart Putin, US President Joe Biden had warned Russia would face “severe consequences” if Moscow launched an invasion on Kyiv, a claim that the Russian leader downrightly denied. Instead, the Russian leader blamed NATO's expansion into Ukraine and the deployment of weapons calling the alliance’s actions a “red line” for Moscow. The two counterparts had concluded talks agreeing to hold further dialogue on addressing all of Moscow’s concerns. Earlier, the Guardian reported Russia has mobilised as many as 175,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders, with the Kremlin blaming “provocative” NATO drills near the border for making the military buildup necessary.

In a joint statement, the EU leaders emphasised the “urgent need for Russia to de-escalate tensions caused by the military buildup along its border with Ukraine and aggressive rhetoric.” They also pledged their “full support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” EU “encourages diplomatic efforts and supports the Normandy format in achieving the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements,” said the leaders, referring to the French and German brokered an agreement that instated the 2015 peace deal between the Ukraine and Russia.