EU hopes to avoid Ukraine war with talks, sanctions threat

European Union leaders are looking to avoid a Russian military invasion into neighboring Ukraine with a threat of unprecedented sanctions and the promise of diplomatic talks

BRUSSELS -- A summit of European Union leaders on Thursday will focus on avoiding a Russian military invasion into neighboring Ukraine with threats of unprecedented sanctions for Moscow and the promise of diplomatic talks.

The Russian military buildup on Ukraine's border is taking center stage at the summit of the EU's 27 leaders, with a plea from Ukraine's president to start imposing more sanctions before any possible incursion rather than after the border has been crossed.

“Maybe there are some open channels for some serious negotiations” over the coming days, said Prime Minister Janez Jansa of Slovenia, which holds the EU presidency, adding it could consist of talks between France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia.

But like all, he wearily watched the Ukraine-Russia border, where U.S. intelligence officials say Russia has moved 70,000 troops and is preparing for a possible invasion early next year. Moscow denies that it has any plans to attack Ukraine, but did so in 2014 when it annexed the Crimean Peninsula.