EU foreign policy chief says Russia sending troops on 'Ukraine soil' is not a 'fully fledged invasion'

Much of the world scrambled on Tuesday to condemn Russia's decision to recognize and send troops into two parts of eastern Ukraine that claim independence from Kyiv. Even countries with good relations with Russia, like Greece and Turkey, called Russia's incursion into Ukraine's sovereign territory unacceptable. China, cultivating a strategic alliance with Moscow, urged more dialogue between Russia, Ukraine, and Western democracies.

One of the big questions as Russian tanks and troops enter Ukraine's breakaway Donetsk and Luhansk regions is what the world is wiling to do about it. Sanctions are forthcoming, but it's unclear how severe they will be at this stage. The U.S., Britain, and Japan are weighing punitive sanctions on Russian interests, but the European Union can only act if all member states agree.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.