A wave of sanctions at all levels against Russia is being triggered by a number of countries in the European Union (EU) and beyond, following the beginning of the attacks on Ukraine.

The French Economy Minister said today that the EU "wants to cut all ties between Russia and the global financial system."

"We want to isolate Russia financially. We want to dry up the financing" of the Russian economy, said Bruno Le Maire, the French minister quoted by the press, minutes before the start of a meeting of EU economy and finance ministers in Paris.

The French minister said that the goal is to "double the Russian economy" and he is aware that "this will take time.

The meeting of the European Union's economy and finance ministers takes place today through Saturday in Paris, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine has become one of the main topics of the meeting.

Russia on Thursday dawn launched a military offensive on Ukrainian territory, with ground forces and shelling of targets in several cities, which has already caused at least half a hundred deaths, 10 of them civilians, on Ukrainian territory, according to Kiev.

The attack was immediately condemned by the international community in general and prompted emergency meetings of several governments, including the Portuguese government, and of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the EU, and the UN Security Council.