Ukraine urges EU to be ready to impose more sanctions on Russia

(BRUSSELS) - Ukraine urged the European Union Friday to be ready to hit Russia with more sanctions if necessary and not to be hoodwinked by Moscow's claims the crisis is easing.

EU leaders and foreign ministers meeting next week should clearly state that sanctions would follow Russia's "constant violations" of a September peace deal between pro-Moscow rebels and Kiev, said Kostiantyn Yelisieiev, Ukraine's ambassador to the EU.

"The issue of more restrictive measures needs to be kept on the table," Yelisieiev said, stressing the threat would back up diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful solution to a conflict which has cost some 4,300 lives.

"Russia is just playing a game," he said, citing reports that a convoy of some 130 lorries had crossed into eastern Ukraine Friday in clear violation of the September accords.

He added that Russia was "trying to create a smokescreen" about the situation in the rebel-controlled Donbass region.

Russia denies that it has any presence in Ukraine or supports the rebels there with weapons and other equipment.

After a fresh truce deal came into effect on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Friday a "real" ceasefire was in place in after the first 24 hours in seven months without a military casualty.

The EU first imposed visa bans and asset freezes on leading Ukrainian and Russian figures after Moscow annexed Crimea in March but was reluctant to go further and adopt much tougher economic sanctions, despite US pressure.

Germany and Italy, whose former foreign minister Federica Mogherini now heads the EU foreign affairs arm, were especially opposed given their major trade and political ties with Russia.

But the shooting down of a Malaysia Airlines plane in July, blamed on rebels using a Russian-made missile, could not be ignored and the EU changed tack to broaden the net.

Since then, diplomats say there has been little appetite to do more and successive EU summits have endorsed the line that the use of sanctions depends on the situation on the ground.

Mogherini will chair an EU foreign ministers meeting Monday, followed by a first meeting of the EU-Ukraine Association Council which was set up after Brussels and Kiev ratified a landmark deal on closer ties in September.

All 28 EU leaders hold a summit Thursday and Friday at which Ukraine is expected to be a key talking point.