The foreign ministers of EU member states met in Brussels on Monday in an effort to agree on a single stance on the security crisis in Europe and ways to deter a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“The situation is very tense and it is difficult to foresee the outcome,” Croatia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlic-Radman said.

He underscored it is necessary to make room for diplomacy and dialogue in an effort to find a solution to the security crisis in Europe. He announced that he would inform his colleagues of his visit to Moscow last week.

Grlic-Radman added that he would also inform his colleagues of the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the negotiations on the electoral reform, which are now at a critical stage.

“We, the European Union, need to send a clear message to those opposed to reforms who favour the status quo. The success of that process is key to the country’s stability and any failure could lead to an even greater crisis in Bosnia,” said Grlic-Radman.

US State-Secretary Anthony Blinken will join the EU foreign affairs council via video link.

High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borell said that the EU would not follow suit with the US and withdraw its diplomats’ families from Ukraine.

The EU has said it is prepared to introduce economic and financial sanctions against Russia if it invades Ukraine and the European Commission has prepared several proposals.

Borrell added that the foreign ministers would not make any decisions on the sanctions today.