Baltic States – CIS, EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Legislation, Russia

In a rare joint statement on Tuesday, the 28 leaders voiced concern over what they said was Russian support for pro-Moscow rebels who have made large gains in eastern Ukraine and targeted the key port city of Mariupol.

"We condemn the killing of civilians during the indiscriminate shelling of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol on January 24, 2015. We note evidence of continued and growing support given to the separatists by Russia, which underlines Russia's responsibility," they said. "In view of the worsening situation we ask the upcoming Foreign Affairs Council to assess the situation and to consider any appropriate action, in particular on further restrictive measures, aiming at a swift and comprehensive implementation of Minsk agreements".

EU leaders would review the situation at their next summit in Brussels on February 12, the statement added.

Under Brussels rules the foreign ministers will task the European Commission, the bloc's executive arm, with drawing up new sanctions, which would then have to be approved by the leaders.

The largely ignored Minsk peace plan dating from September has failed to stop a conflict which has now claimed around 5,100 lives since March, with fighting now as bad as ever following a quieter period over the Christmas-New Year holiday, the AFP news agency points out.

The EU has imposed a series of sanctions since Russia annexed Crimea in March.

After the Mariupol attack on Saturday, EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini announced the extraordinary meeting of European foreign ministers to map out the bloc's response to the latest violence.

Mogherini last week found herself in hot water after suggesting the EU should take a softer stance with Russia, sparking a sharp response from those who believe only a tough line will sway Moscow.

EU president Donald Tusk, a former Polish prime minister, took a notably harder tack against Russia than his diplomatic chief at the weekend. "Once again, appeasement encourages the aggressor to greater acts of violence," Tusk tweeted after the Mariupol attacks. "Time to step up our policy based on cold facts, not illusions."

The latest fighting and Russian President Vladimir Putin's continued defiance has however put the EU on the spot, the AFP points out.

Putin on Monday ridiculed the Ukrainian army as NATO's "foreign legion" aimed at containing Russia, repeating a consistent theme that it is the West which is at fault, not Moscow.

NATO head Jens Stoltenberg dismissed Putin's jibe "as nonsense," charging that Russia had massively stepped up support for the rebels instead of meeting its Minsk commitments.

In eastern Ukraine Tuesday, continued fighting left at least nine soldiers dead and 29 wounded 29, Kiev said.

After a meeting with Latvian President Andris Berzins, Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics (Unity) said that a specific decision on sanctions against Russia will not be made at Thursday's EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting.

Rinkevics told members of the press that proposals will most likely be prepared during the Foreign Affairs Council meeting, and that specific decisions on these proposals could be made during the February 9 Foreign Affairs Council meeting or the European Council meeting after.

''I have sent my position on this matters to EU foreign policy chief Frederica Mogherini. I, on the other hand, will be going on my planned visit to the United States this week, where a variety of important matters will be discussed,'' Rinkevics added.

Asked why a specific decision on sanctions will not be made during the Foreign Affairs Council meeting, Rinkevics said that there are a number of countries which insist that such decisions should be made on the European Council level.

''This is normal practice for the Foreign Affairs Council to prepare proposals to be then decided by the European Council,'' the minister said, while at the same time refraining from commenting about specific sanctions or decision.

''As the situation deteriorates, we will talk about strengthening sanctions against Russia,'' the Latvian foreign minister said. ''I do not want to make any predictions, but I hope the EU will be able to come to a common stance when a decision will have to be made.''

Meanwhile, speaking about his recent visits to Kiev and Moscow, Rinkevics said that he feels that ''these visits took place two years ago, not two weeks ago''.

''The fact that the situation has rapidly deteriorated during the past week, means that our diplomatic efforts have not been successful. I still believe that EU diplomacy must continue to work on solving this matter,'' he added.

As reported, in February 2014 Russia occupied the Crimean peninsula that belonged to Ukraine. In March, Crimea was annexed.

In response to Russia's aggression in Ukraine, the European Union, the United States, and other Western countries have imposed sanctions against Russia's top officials, Kremlin associates, and Russia's financial, defense, and energy sectors.