French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Monday that ‘all the elements’ were in place for Russia to invade Ukraine, as tensions surge between the two countries.

“If the question is are there elements in place so that there is a major offensive by Russian forces in Ukraine, then yes it’s true. It’s possible and quickly,” Jean-Yves Le Drian told France 5 TV.

He said there was no indication so far that Russia had made the decision to attack Ukraine yet.

But as Moscow continues to station thousands of troops on Ukraine’s border, countries are worried about the likelihood of an invasion, which, in United States President Joe Biden’s words, ‘will be no less than a world war’.

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Drian added that Europe was ready to impose massive sanctions on Russia if it made any advances towards Ukraine, a move that is echoed by other Western allies as well. 

Western leaders have voiced concern about the possibility of a Russian attack this week starting with ‘aerial bombings and missile attack’ – a charge that Moscow continues to deny. More than a dozen countries have asked their citizens and diplomats to leave Ukraine as Russia amasses soldiers on its borders. 

Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for using diplomatic means to ease tensions between Russia and Ukraine, in the backdrop of an increasing threat of an invasion.

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“In Ukraine, (it is necessary) to reduce tensions, and I urge that all issues be addressed exclusively through diplomacy. I pledge to spare no effort to mobilize the international community – and step up our push for peace,” he said at a General Assembly meeting on priorities of work in 2022. 

The UN chief spoke to foreign ministers of both the countries on Monday and expressed ‘serious concern’ over the tensions between the two. 

He said that “the price in human suffering, destruction and damage to European and global security is too high to contemplate”, according to an AFP report.