The European Union (EU) pledged Thursday to hold the Kremlin for the unjustified attack on Ukraine. They announced that they planned to impose the strongest package of sanctions they had ever contemplated during an emergency, after the Russian military attacked Ukraine. "The target is stability in Europe and the whole international peace order," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Von der Leyen stated that the "massive and targeted sanctions" that it will impose on European Union leaders "will target strategic sectors of the Russian economy by blocking access to technologies and markets that are key for Russia," saying, "We will weaken Russia's economic base and its capacity to modernize. In addition, We will freeze Russian assets in the EU and stop access of Russian banks to our financial market." Earlier, European Commission President Ursula said on Twitter: " In these dark hours, our thoughts are with Ukraine and the innocent women, men and children as they face this unprovoked attack and fear for their lives." " We will hold the Kremlin accountable. von der Leyen added. In turn, the Vice President of the EU Commission Josep Borrell said, "The EU will respond in the strongest possible terms and agree on the harshest package of sanctions we have ever implemented." He stressed that "Russia will face unprecedented isolation." "We stand united and no violence and destruction to has means to obtain political gains," he said, stressing that "President Putin needs to stop this senseless aggression.." European Union leaders are due to hold an emergency summit in Brussels later on Thursday after the first round of EU sanctions against Russia went into effect on Wednesday. For his part, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz described, on Thursday, the Russian military operation in Ukraine as a "blatant breach of international law, that is in no way justifiable." "Our solidarity is with Ukraine and its people. Russia must stop this military action right now. We will consult within the G7, NATO and the EU in the course of today. It is a terrible day for Ukraine and a dark day for Europe," he said in a statement. Moreover, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned the horrific events in Ukraine, saying that "President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine." "I will also speak to fellow G7 leaders and I am calling for an urgent meeting of all NATO leaders as soon as possible." He tweeted. The Ukrainian border guards announced that Ukraine is under artillery attack along its northern borders with Russia and Belarus, noting that Ukrainian forces are responding with fire. The statement was issued as an official in the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said that the Ukrainian government-controlled town of Schastya had fallen to the Russian-backed separatists in the east of the country. — Agencies
