Russian troop movements on the border with Ukraine "
are part of the pressure
" exerted by Moscow to obtain satisfaction on its demands, but there is "
no question of negotiating under pressure
," said Thursday in Brest ( West of France) the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell.
Read also Ukraine: Moscow points to differences with NATO
"
We have been assured that nothing will be decided or negotiated without the Europeans and the coordination with the Americans is absolutely perfect
," added the Spaniard Josep Borrell before the start of an informal meeting with the defense ministers of the EU, much of whose work will be devoted to the threat of a new conflict in Ukraine.
"
There will be no decisions today because it is an informal meeting, but there will be political expression
," he said.
"
We are going to work out the position of the European Union, decide how we should deal with the crisis
," he said.
Meeting in Brittany
The Defense Ministers will be joined at the end of the morning by the Foreign Ministers of the EU organized in Brittany, a region from which the French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian, organizer of this meeting chaired by Josep Borrell, is from. The head of European diplomacy, who was in contact the day before with Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra, who tested positive for covid, reassured him about his health.
“
I passed the rigorous tests.
I am not positive.
We can start working
, ”he announced.
Belgian Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmès, who was also in contact with her Dutch counterpart, also tested negative, but she preferred to cancel her visit to Brest.
Sophie Wilmès was hospitalized and placed in intensive care in October 2020 after being infected with the virus.