The EU announced the impossibility of "forever offering an olive branch" to Russia

The European Union intends to impose serious sanctions if tensions around Ukraine continue to grow, as Brussels does not see Moscow's efforts to de-escalate. This was stated by President of the European Council Charles Michel during his speech at the Munich Security Conference. He posted the video on Twitter.

“We cannot offer an olive branch forever: if the escalation continues, large-scale sanctions will be introduced,” Michel promised (quoted by TASS).

The head of the European Council also stressed that while there are no signs of a de-escalation of the situation around Ukraine, RUSSIA continues to accumulate armed forces on the border. Moscow has tried to "divide" Western countries, Michel continued, but has only achieved the opposite effect by rallying EU member states, transatlantic allies and "partners around the world."

Three days earlier, on February 17, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced the development, together with the European Union, of a package of measures against Russia that would be applied in the event of its aggression against Ukraine. “We want Russia to bear the biggest cost,” Yellen said. She added that the set of sanctions being developed would include EXPORT controls, with "serious consequences" for Moscow.