EU mulls fresh response to Russia

Ukraine crisis: EU leaders consider response to Russia

EU leaders are to meet in Brussels to consider fresh sanctions against Russia following accusations that its troops are fighting inside Ukraine.

Russia denies that its regular forces are backing a rebel offensive in eastern Ukraine.

But ahead of the summit, EU officials said a clear message must be sent to Russia to de-escalate the crisis.

In Ukraine, a number of government troops remain encircled by the rebels in the Donetsk region.

Reports say the pro-Russian fighters have issued an ultimatum to the Ukrainian troops near the town of Ilovaisk to surrender by Saturday morning.

Some 2,600 people have died in fighting in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The conflict there erupted in April following Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s southern Crimea peninsula a month before.

In Brussels, the leaders of the 28-member bloc are also to decide who will fill two of Europe’s top jobs: president of the European Council and foreign policy chief to replace Herman Van Rompuy and Catherine Ashton.

‘New dimension’

A few hours before the summit, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is due to meet Mr Van Rompuy and Jose Manuel Barroso, the outgoing head of the Commission.

Ukraine’s government forces launched their “anti-terror operation” in AprilResidents of Mariupol are digging trenches to help Ukrainian soldiers defend the strategic port city

Mr Poroshenko is expected to press for tougher action against the Kremlin and will later make a speech at the summit.

On Friday, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned that the “already dangerous situation” in Ukraine had now entered “a whole new dimension”.

“The border infringements have intensified, and raised concerns that the situation is slipping out of control.

“This needs to stop, especially if we want to avoid direct military confrontation between Ukrainian and Russian military forces.”

He was referring to claims by Ukraine that regular Russian troops had entered Ukraine, capturing the south-eastern town of Novoazovsk.

Russia denies the accusation.

Russia’s energy minister has warned that the Ukrainian crisis could lead to a disruption of gas supplies to European countries this winter.

Nato membership

On Friday, Nato held an emergency meeting after releasing satellite images it said showed columns of Russian armed forces inside Ukrainian territory.

This satellite image provided by the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe shows what Nato identifies as Russian self-propelled artillery in Ukraine

Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen called on Russia to “take immediate and verifiable steps towards de-escalation”.

Mr Rasmussen also indicated Nato could consider Ukraine’s application to join the alliance, shortly after Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk announced he was putting Ukraine on course for Nato membership.

War in eastern Ukraine: The human cost

• At least 2,593 people killed since mid-April (not including 298 passengers and crew of Malaysian Airlines MH17, shot down in the area) – UN report on 7 August
• 951 civilians killed in Donetsk region alone, official regional authorities said – 20 August
• In some particularly dangerous places, such as Luhansk region, victims are said to have been buried informally, making accurate counts difficult
• Rebels (and some military sources) accuse the government of concealing true numbers
• 155,800 people have fled elsewhere in Ukraine while at least 188,000 have gone to Russia.