France is not considering a military solution to the Ukrainian crisis, French State Secretary for European Affairs, Clement Beaune, said on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, announced sanctions against Moscow, which would target 351 lawmakers of the parliament’s lower house, the State Duma, and 27 individuals and legal entities.

“Sanctions are a difficult option, we should be united in this, but we do not see a military option.

“Sanctions are already a strong signal,” Beaune told France Inter broadcaster.

He said the new round of EU sanctions followed recognition of the independence of the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk from Ukraine, adopted by Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Monday.

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In the meantime, tensions in the breakaway region of Donbas continued to mount, with the republics reporting further shelling by the Ukrainian army.

Last week, the local authorities announced general mobilization and launched the evacuation of Donbas civilians to Russia.