EU ready to take "unprecedented measures" against Russia - von der Leyen

FILE PHOTO: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attends a news conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium, December 10, 2021. REUTERS/Johanna Geron/File Photo

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union is ready to scale up its sanctions and take "unprecedented measures" against Russia if it shows further aggression towards Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday.

Von der Leyen, speaking in the European Parliament, said the EU had worked closely with the United States to draw up options going beyond existing sanctions targeting Russia's financial and energy sectors, dual-use goods and defence.