EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Josep Borrell believes that the EU should be ready to react if Russia crosses the "red lines" with regard to Ukraine.

He said this on Wednesday in Brussels, speaking in the European Parliament as part of the discussion of Russia's relations in the light of its recent actions, including with respect to Ukraine.

Borrell recalled the recent buildup of Russia's military presence near the borders with Ukraine and in Crimea. The EU high representative said that Russia must stop its provocations and cooperate to reduce tensions. According to him, what Russia is doing now is pretending to be a neutral mediator, they say, we have nothing to do with the conflict in Ukraine, but are only trying to act as mediators. This pretense must be debunked. For Russia, full implementation of the Minsk Agreements is not the key conditions, but for the EU they are. These are the key conditions for a significant improvement in the relations. The EU must also be ready for an additional reaction if Russia continues to escalate or crosses the red lines.

At the same time, he expressed confidence that Ukraine should continue its reforms, because there is nothing better in confronting Russia than to become a country with a democratic system, free from corruption, using our resources, which we are ready to provide in order to improve the quality of the country's governance. Borrell said the EU must continue to convey a coordinated message of its continued support to Ukraine. And the EU will take part in the summit of the Crimean platform in August.

He said that relations between the EU and Russia continue to deteriorate. Borrell also said that the EU relations with Russia are at a very low level. This negative trend continues and they have reached an even more dangerous level of deterioration. Without the fact that the EU does not want to fuel further dynamics of escalation, however, it must show that the EU does not accept what Russia is doing and must react to what is happening.