(ATHENS) - Greece on Friday warned against isolating Russia as the European Union prepares to discuss the Georgia crisis at an emergency summit next week.

"In the present international environment Russia's relations are logically going through a critical phase. But for us it is clear that isolation is not a solution," Greek foreign ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos said.

The 27-nation bloc will hold an emergency summit Monday to discuss the Georgia crisis.

On Russia's deteriorating relations with NATO, Koumoutsakos also noted: "We may have seen that there would be an impact on relations between NATO and Russia, but we believe that every channel granted by the institutionalised NATO-Russia dialogue must be exploited."

Russia faces an avalanche of condemnation from the West over its recognition of the independence of two Georgian secessionist regions at the heart of the conflict that erupted August 7.

Moscow has angrily rejected the criticism, saying it fails to recognise that Russia used military force in response to a Georgian attack against South Ossetia, where tens of thousands of Russian citizens live.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, whose country holds the EU presidency, said the EU is considering imposing sanctions.

But a source in the French president's office said Friday the European Union will not call for sanctions against Russia when it meets next week.

Talks on resolving the Georgia conflict were deadlocked at the UN Security Council, with a sixth meeting ending Thursday without agreement as the West insisted on a resolution upholding Georgia's territorial integrity.

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