U.S. warns Europe that Russia may be planning Ukraine invasion

The U.S. is raising the alarm with European Union allies that Russia may be weighing a potential invasion of Ukraine as tensions flare between Moscow and the bloc over migrants and energy supplies, Bloomberg reported.

With Washington closely monitoring a buildup of Russian forces near the Ukrainian border, U.S. officials have briefed EU counterparts on their concerns over a possible military operation, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov Friday dismissed the report as “empty and unfounded efforts to exacerbate tensions.”

The assessments are believed to be based on information the U.S. hasn’t yet shared with European governments, which would have to happen before any decision is made on a collective response, the people said. They’re backed up by publicly-available evidence, according to officials familiar with the administration’s thinking.

A White House official said Thursday evening that the U.S. was consulting with allies over the buildup. Russia says military deployments on its territory are an internal matter and it denies any aggressive intentions, while accusing the U.S. of provocation by sailing warships in the Black Sea close to its territory.

The ruble weakened on the news, slipping 0.5% against the dollar toward its first weekly loss in three. Ruble bonds fell for a second day, with the yield on 10-year debt climbing three basis points to 8.07%. Stocks headed for their biggest drop in two weeks.