EU foreign ministers meet in Luxembourg as violence flares in Ukraine

EU foreign ministers will convene in Luxembourg today to discuss the crisis in Ukraine, as violence flared in the east of the country over the weekend.

Despite the escalation of tensions in a number of cities, EU foreign ministers are unlikely to opt for deeper economic sanctions on Russia today, but may consider further sanctions against individuals.

Sanctions
Foreign ministers, including Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, are expected to be updated by the European Commission on its assessment of the political and economic effects of so-called "phase-three" sanctions on Russia, though the final report is not complete.

Some countries fear Russia will reciprocate if the EU applied economic sanctions. While officials said that phase-three sanctions were still some way off, foreign ministers could choose to expand the list of 33 individuals targeted by asset freezes, by the EU.

US secretary of state John Kerry said yesterday there would be "additional consequences" if Russia failed to make efforts to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine, a warning echoed by US United Nations envoy Samantha Power, who warned that sanctions could be "ramped up" if recent actions in Ukraine continue.

The EU's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, said yesterday she was "gravely concerned" about increased activity by armed individuals and separatist groups in various cities in east Ukraine. "I reiterate the EU's strong support for Ukraine's unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity and call upon Russia to do so as well," she said, calling on Russia to withdraw its troops from the border and to cease actions aimed at destabilising Ukraine. She also praised the Ukrainian authorities for their "measured" response.

Nato secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the reappearance in eastern Ukraine of men with specialised Russian weapons and identical uniforms without insignia, as previously worn by Russian troops during Russia's seizure, was "a grave development".

EU foreign ministers will also receive an update on the OSCE mission to Crimea, following a suggestion from Sweden, Poland and the UK that a separate EU mission be mobilised. The mission would probably be made up of civilian personnel, including from the security and judicial system, in a bid to support the police and legal system.

Removing customs duties
But a number of countries, including Ireland, favour giving more time to the OSCE mission before a separate operation is considered. The OSCE is a non-EU security organisation, which counts Russia among its 57 members.

Foreign ministers are also expected to sign a temporary beneficial trade framework with Ukraine today, removing customs duties on exports to the EU.

The EU is moving ahead with the association agreement with Ukraine, rejected by former president Viktor Yanucovich, creating a political association between the two.