'[Kremlin's] inability to grasp the extend to which countries, such as Ukraine, have moved on and also a dramatic misunderstanding of what The West stands for, what NATO is there for and such like.'
- Mark Galeotti,
Trick or Treaties, m. 18:33 - 18:48, December 19, 2021
'Measures against the Nord Stream 2 pipeline between Russia and Germany to prevent it from becoming operational were also an option discussed on December 13, as well as targeting more Russian state-owned defense and energy companies or canceling natural-gas contracts, diplomats said.
The EU has already imposed several rounds of sanctions on Russia over its forcible seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region in March 2014 and over Moscow's backing of separatists in eastern Ukraine in an ongoing conflict that has killed more than 13,200 people since April 2014.
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"In any case, we will send a clear signal that any aggression against Ukraine will have a high cost for Russia," Borrell said on December 13, adding that the 27-country bloc was "studying together with the U.S. and the U.K. what [sanctions] could be, when and how, in a coordinated manner."
"We are convinced that Russia is actually preparing for all-out war against Ukraine," Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said, adding: "If it's an unprecedented attack...that means that the answer has to be unprecedented from the Western countries, as well."
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U.S. and NATO officials have said that no country can veto the NATO aspirations of any country.'
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EU Says It's In 'Deterrent Mode' With Russia.., December 13, 2021
Context'This paper explains why Russia and China’s economic cooperation plans have failed since 2014..'Polish, Lithuanian Leaders Back Kyiv And Call For No 'Concessions' To Russia'..the West should not relinquish its principled refusal to accept Russian annexation of Crimea..'