EU ambassadors mull Russian sanctions

Ambassadors from the 28 EU members convene in Brussels later on Wednesday to discuss the possible levying of a new package of sanctions against Russia. After confirming the new measures on Monday evening, the EU delayed their implementation - saying it wanted to give Russia time to move peace efforts for eastern Ukraine forward.

Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Petro Porsohenko of Ukraine spoke on the phone for the second time in 24 hours on Tuesday evening. "Putin confirmed Russia's readiness to continue to contribute to a peaceful settlement of the crisis," the Kremlin said in a statement, saying the pair discussed the importance of a "durable ceasefire."

According to officials in Kyiv on Tuesday, five Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since the current ceasefire took effect in the country's east. However, the National Security and Defense Council acknowledged that, by and large, the truce was holding.

Britain urges hard line

British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon told the Reuters news agency on Tuesday that the EU should remain determined on the issue of sanctions.

"Member states … have all had slightly different positions on it, but it is essential we keep up the pressure," Fallon told Reuters. "The sanctions clearly are working and we are seeing that."

The conservative politician said the ball was currently in Putin's court, adding that the EU should not relax existing sanctions "until we see some reciprocity from Russia in terms of moving troops back across the border and heavy equipment back across the border." Russia still disputes Ukrainian and western allegations that it is sending weaponry and personnel to Ukraine's separatist fighters.

EU appeal for US energy commitments

On a visit to Washington on Tuesday, the EU's trade commissioner, Karel de Gucht, appealed for the US to commit to export oil and natural gas to Europe as part of a planned transatlantic trade deal. De Gucht said that the tension with Russia over Ukraine had spurred the EU to reconsider its dependence on fossil fuels from Russia.

"It is important that we come forward with a position on that [energy agreement] as soon as possible, because maybe you may have noticed that some things are going on in Europe," de Gucht told reporters in Washington. "I cannot imagine that there will ever be a TTIP without such provisions," he said, referring to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership still under negotiation.

Natural gas prices in the EU are around three times as high as in the US. Germany spent some 33 billion euros ($42.6 billion) on Russian natural gas, oil and coal in 2013 - with the imports covering roughly one-quarter of the country's energy needs. Some other EU members, like cash-strapped Greece, have an even higher dependence on Russian fossil fuels.

Also on Tuesday, investigators in the Netherlands filed their preliminary report based on study of the "black box" flight recorders aboard the MH17 Boeing 777, which went down in eastern Ukraine in July, killing all 298 people on board.

Investigators found evidence that the plane was likely hit "by a number of high-energy objects," while flying at approximately 33,000 feet (10,000 meters). Further tests are pending, but the early findings seem to corroborate the theory that the plane was shot out of the sky. The Dutch Safety Board (OVV) inquiry will not assign blame for the incident.

msh/se (AFP, dpa, Reuters)