Germany's new chancellor, EU warn Russia of severe consequences if it invades Ukraine

Germany’s new chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday warned Russia of severe consequences if it tried to invade Ukraine. Addressing the lower house of the German parliament for the first time after being sworn in as Germany’s chancellor, Scholz asserted that European governments are united in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.  "Any violation of territorial integrity will have its price - a high price - and we will speak with one voice on this together with our European partners and our trans-Atlantic allies," he was quoted by Associated Press (AP). 

Meanwhile, the chairman of the European Union's executive commission warned Russia that if it invades neighbouring Ukraine, the group will retaliate with a slew of new sanctions. On the eve of an EU summit on the matter, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen suggested the EU may take "unique measures with catastrophic repercussions for Russia" in addition to ratcheting up and broadening existing sanctions.

Von der Leyen informed the European Parliament that economic sanctions targeting Russia's finance, energy, and industries are already in place because of its invasion of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula in 2014. However, she didn't say what kind of new measures would be implemented. 

Russia has pushed 70,000 troops toward Ukraine's border: US

According to US intelligence officials, Russia has pushed 70,000 troops toward Ukraine's border and is preparing for an attack early next year. However, Moscow denies any intention of attacking Ukraine and dismisses Western concerns as a "propaganda campaign." The 27 nations assert that "any further military aggression against Ukraine will have significant consequences and a great cost in response" AP reported citing draft conclusions for Thursday's (Dec 16) summit of EU leaders. It stated that any sanctions package would be coordinated by the EU, the United States, and the United Kingdom. 

It is pertinent to mention here that France and Germany pushed Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table in 2015, resulting in a peace agreement that helped cease large-scale hostilities in eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces have been battling against Russia-backed separatists since 2014. According to Scholz, more talks must not be misinterpreted as a new German 'Ostpolitik' - a reference to West German Chancellor Willy Brandt's "détente policy" with the communist Eastern bloc in the early 1970s. "There can only be a European 'Ostpolitik' in a unified Europe, based on international law and order principles that Russia promised to but violated with the invasion of Crimea," he added. 

(With inputs from AP)