European Union (EU) leaders are considering whether to toughen sanctions against Russia because of what they consider its destabilisation of neigh-bouring Ukraine.

Many of the 28 EU leaders coming into Brussels today agree that Russia is still failing to take sufficient measures to help ease the crisis in eastern Ukraine, where separatists want to break away in two regions. Germany said Ukraine claims heavy weapons are still flowing to separatists across the Russian border and there are increasing attacks on Ukrainian forces from Russian territory.

EU diplomats are looking at new sanctions that would go beyond the current travel bans and assets freezes against individuals, but still fall short of full economic and trade sanctions.

The US is considering imposing unilateral sanctions on Russia for its actions regarding Ukraine.

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