UK threatens Russia with sanctions if it invades Ukraine

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UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said that “any further military incursion into Ukraine by Russia would bring massive consequences, including coordinated sanctions."

Truss told Parliament on Thursday that she would visit Kiev later this month.

"It's vital that NATO is united in pushing back against Russia threatening behavior," she stressed.

"Europe must reduce its dependence on Russian gas," Truss added. "Britain remains opposed to Nord Stream 2, and I'm working with allies and partners to highlight the strategic risks of this project."

On Wednesday, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell also pledged that "any military aggression against Ukraine will have messy consequences and severe costs."

Here's what you need to know

Relations between Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), led by the United States, have recently been tense due to the latter's increased military buildup near the Russian borders under the pretext of "protecting" Ukraine from a “potential Russian threat,” which Moscow considers a “violation of the basic document of ties between the two sides."

The Kremlin repeatedly rejected accusations made by Western countries about its intention to take military action against Ukraine, saying that "Russia is threatened by NATO, which is arming Kiev and intensifying its deployment of aircraft and ships in the Black Sea region."