French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that France is concerned about a buildup of Russian forces along the border of Ukraine and warned the Kremlin against incursions, Bloomberg reports according to Le Drian’s interview in RTL radio.
“Any violation of the border, any intrusion would lead to extremely grave consequences,” Le Drian said in an interview on RTL radio on Sunday.
Le Drian said it was important to find a “way to work together,” even though President Vladimir Putin’s “authoritarian” tendencies have become more marked in recent months. Russia should instead bring its influence to help resolve the deepening crisis in Belarus, he said.
“Now is the time for Russia to exert pressure,” said Le Drian, adding that Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko risks creating a humanitarian disaster.
“It’s a real fake migrant crisis,” he said.
It's worth noting that the U.S. in recent weeks warned its European allies that Russia may be planning a repeat of its 2014 invasion of Ukraine, citing a fresh build-up of tanks and troops along the border. The Kremlin has denied any aggressive intentions.