EU reiterates readiness for sanctions against Kremlin

As the leaders of Russia and China met in Beijing yesterday, the two authoritarian leaders issued a statement indicating a stronger relationship between their two countries. The leaders emphasized falsely that the “West should abandon the ideologized approaches of the Cold War”, ignoring the fact that the ongoing European security order crisis stems directly from the Russian aggression towards Ukraine. 

In an immediate response, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen reiteraded the European unity and support for a sovereign and independent Ukraine. In an interview with German newspapers, ms. von der Leyen confirmed that the EU has prepared a broad set of sanctions if Ukraine is invaded by Russia. “We have prepared a robust and comprehensive package of financial and economic sanctions”, von der Leyen told German newspaper Handelsblatt on February 4.