February 19 Ukraine-Russia news

From CNN's James FrateThe EU urged Russia to de-escalate by substantially withdrawing military forces from near its border with Ukraine and highlighted the “increase in ceasefire violations” along the line of contact in eastern Ukraine in recent days.“The EU condemns the use of heavy weaponry and indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas, which constitute a clear violation of the Minsk agreements and international humanitarian law,” read the statement from the EU’s high representative on Saturday.The EU statement went on to commend Ukraine’s “posture of restraint in the face of continued provocations and efforts at destabilization" and expressed concern at “staged events” that it said could be used as a “pretext for a possible military escalation.”This statement comes after Ukrainian officials raised concerns about expected “provocations” in breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, saying they expect Russia to be involved in false-flag operations there. From CNN's Samantha BeechUkraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had an “urgent” conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron in which he discussed the “need and possible ways of immediate de-escalation," as the US and allies insist Russia is moving to conduct an attack on Ukraine.A group of journalists, including from the French agency AFP and CNN, came under mortar fire Saturday when accompanying Ukraine's interior minister on the frontlines.The call between Zelensky and Macron comes ahead of an expected conversation Sunday between Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said that through 17:00 local time (10 a.m. ET) Saturday, "70 violations of the ceasefire regime were recorded by the Russian occupation forces, 60 of which by using weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements."The ministry also said that two Ukrainian serviceman were killed and four wounded on Saturday.The Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov repeated in a Facebook post Saturday that Ukraine had no plans to launch an offensive against the breakaway regions, as claimed by the leaders of the self-declared Luhansk and Donetsk republics. "We do not plan any offensives, but we will not allow the firing on the positions of our troops and human settlements with impunity," Reznikov said.From Duarte Mendonca in LodnonBritish Foreign Secretary Liz Truss accused Russia on Saturday of not being “serious about diplomacy” while warning that the “worst-case scenario could happen as early as next week.”Truss also said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's speech at the conference was “extremely sobering.”Truss said the United Kingdom would stand in unity with its partners to support Ukraine.“We need to be strong because that is the only thing that Russia understands. From CNN's Aaron PellishUS Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he does not believe Russia’s increased military presence along the Ukraine border is a “bluff” and that Russian President Vladimir Putin could decide to attack Ukraine “in short order.”Austin told ABC News in an interview taped Friday that Russia has developed the combat infrastructure along Ukraine’s border to “conduct a successful invasion.”When asked about the possibility that Putin is increasing tensions without intending to actually invade, Austin said, “I don’t believe it’s a bluff.”“I think he’s assembled the right kind...of thing that you need to conduct a successful invasion," he said. “We are not panicking; we want to live our lives."From CNN's Veronica Stracqualursi and Eva McKendHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned on Saturday that the United States will impose sanctions "never seen before in terms of the intensity and timing" if Russia invades Ukraine.“We’re not for any war," said Pelosi, who is leading a congressional delegation at the Munich Security Conference.