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Anti-Russian sanctions

European Union preparing full set of sanctions against Russia, says foreign policy chief

Josep Borrel confirmed that EU countries would be able to reach a consensus on the issue this time

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell EPA-EFE/JULIEN WARNAND

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell

© EPA-EFE/JULIEN WARNAND

BRUSSELS, December 16. /TASS/. The European Union is preparing a full set of sanctions against Russia, which will be discussed at the EU summit on Thursday, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrel told reporters as he arrived at the meeting of leaders of 27 EU states in Brussels.

"I cannot tell it (which sanctions in particular - TASS), we are going to discuss it before we have an agreement, but we are preparing a full set of sanctions," he said.

Asked whether EU countries will be able to reach a consensus on the issue, Borrel said: "Yes, this time, yes."

Concerns over Moscow's alleged preparations for an invasion into Ukraine have been increasingly announced in the west and in Kiev recently. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov castigated these statements as an empty and groundless escalation of tension, emphasizing that Russia posed no threat to anyone. At the same time, the Kremlin press secretary did not exclude some possible provocations to justify such claims and warned that the attempts to resolve the Ukrainian conflict by force would carry extremely serious consequences.

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