MNI: Russia May Use Ukraine Claims To Justify Attack - EU

The EU is “extremely concerned” by the “radical increase” in violence in the Donbass region of the Ukraine, marked by the onset of shelling by Russian forces, a senior EU foreign policy official said Friday, noting also that Brussels was concerned by claims from Russia that Ukraine is conducting a genocide against secessionist elements in the Donbass region of the latter’s territory.

Although not readying yet for immediate sanctions, the official said if Moscow continued with this policy, Brussels "will obviously have to think what is the answer.” The official stressed that the trigger for EU sanctions would be nothing less than a Russian military attack on Ukraine, rather than cyber-attacks or misinformation campaigns.