EU leaders will meet in Brussels to discuss the crisis in the Ukraine after Russian president Vladimir Putin launched a massive military operation in the early hours of Thursday morning.
European Council president Charles Michel said that the EU plans to impose further restrictive measures that will have serious consequences for Russia in close coordination with transatlantic partners. European Commission president von der Leyen will present a new sanctions package currently finalised by the European Commission, which the Council is expected to adopt swiftly.
On Thursday morning the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Josep Borrell said the bloc will respond in the strongest possible terms to Russia’s military offensive. He told journalists that the meeting later on Thursday will “provide political guidance to adopt the harshest package of sanction we have ever implemented.”
He will be in communication with the international community to ensure a unified and strong response, he said. “This is not a matter of blocs, it’s a matter of life and death,” said Borrell, adding that “Russia will face unprecedented isolation.”
The EU will provide urgent assistance to Ukraine, details of which will be confirmed later today. Evacuation operations of member states’ staff has already been initiated, Borrell said.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has declared martial law and called on the West for even stronger sanctions, including the disconnection of Russia from the Swift interbank network and the total isolation of Russia. He also requested humanitarian, financial and military assistance. His foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, called on an immediate global response, saying that the future of the world and Europe is at stake.
Russia has closed its airspace and the Moscow Stock Exchange has also stopped trading. The Russian Defence Ministry said it only wanted to target military installations, while several Western special envoys reported bombing and smoke from several Ukrainian airports.
Asselborn condemns terror
Luxembourg’s foreign minister Jean Asselborn was swift and unequivocal in his condemnation of Putin and his agenda. “What is in his mind is clear. He wants to terrorise the west, he wants to terrorise the world, he wants his world order to dominate,” Asselborn told RTL radio. The foreign minister said that Putin’s values have nothing to do with the right of law or the values of the United Nations. “He has either lost his mind or he has totally become a dictator who stamps on world peace and has lost all respect for humanity.”
“The only hope I have, and many others share, is that Putin is stopped by his own people”
Asselborn said that the fact that missiles have landed in other Ukrainian cities shows that Putin’s claims that Russian troops are on a peace mission in the Donbass is quite clearly rubbish. “The only hope I have, and many others share, is that Putin is stopped by his own people,” the foreign minister added.
Asselborn did not play down Putin’s obvious threat against anyone that tried to intervene. Putin has earlier said that Russia's response “will lead you to such consequences as you have never experienced in your history.” “That is a clear threat to use nuclear weapons,” Asselborn said.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen had earlier also strongly condemned “Russia’s unjustified attack on Ukraine” saying the EU’s thoughts are with innocent women, men and children who are facing this unprovoked attack and fear for their lives. We will hold the Kremlin to account,” she said.
US president Joe Biden said in a statement that Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering. “Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its Allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way. The world will hold Russia accountable,” Biden said.
British prime minister Boris Johnson said he was “appalled by the horrific events in Ukraine and I have spoken to President Zelenskiy to discuss next steps. President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine. The UK and our allies will respond decisively.”