When Poland announced that an explosion damaged a railway track leading to Ukraine this week, Prime Minister Donald Tusk was quick to declare it was an unprecedented act of sabotage designed to cause catastrophe.

The European Union rolled out a new defense package on Wednesday to allow tanks and troops to deploy more rapidly across the many borders of the 27-nation bloc in the event of a conflict, as concern mounts that Russia is already probing its defenses.

The European Union is exploring further restrictive measures on those enabling Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” of tankers transporting oil in a further effort to disrupt Moscow’s ability to fund its war against Ukraine.

Russia's parliament said on Thursday that any seizure of Russian assets by the European Union must be met by legal action against Belgium and securities house Euroclear, and Moscow could also take over the assets of investors from "unfriendly states".

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has announced that the two suspects have since fled Poland by crossing the country's border with Belarus.

As the India-US trade deal hangs fire, New Delhi’s negotiations with the European Union may ultimately deliver a bigger lift — boosting exports, deepening India’s role in global supply chains and cementing ties with the West.

The European Union will keep on supporting Ukraine as Ukraine is the victim of an aggression, the EU Commission's President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday, adding that sanctions on Russia are hurting the Russian economy.