EU ready to take "unprecedented measures" against Russia, says Von der Leyen

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union is ready to scale up its sanctions and take "unprecedented measures" against Russia if it shows further aggression towards Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

Von der Leyen, speaking in the European Parliament, said the EU had worked closely with the United States to draw up options going beyond existing sanctions targeting Russia's financial and energy sectors, dual-use goods and defence.

"Our response to any further aggression may take the form of a robust scaling-up and expansion of these existing sanctions regimes," she told EU lawmakers.

"And of course we are ready to take additional, unprecedented measures with serious consequences for Russia."