EU's top diplomat visits east Ukraine front to show support against Moscow

FILE PHOTO: Service members of the Ukrainian armed forces gather in a trench at combat positions near the line of separation from Russian-backed rebels outside Krymske in the Luhansk region, Ukraine, January 3, 2022. REUTERS/Maksim Levin

KYIV (Reuters) -The European Union's top diplomat visited the frontline of Ukraine's war with Moscow-backed forces on Wednesday, promising "massive consequences and severe costs" for Russia if it launched a new military offensive against its neighbour.

Josep Borrell flew by helicopter to the easterly Luhansk region, the first EU High Representative to do so since the outbreak of the conflict in 2014, as part of a Western diplomatic push in support of Ukraine.