EU ministers meet on Ukraine crisis

European Union foreign ministers are holding an emergency meeting in Brussels to consider imposing sanctions on top Ukrainian officials held responsible for the escalating violence in the country.

As they entered today’s meeting, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said sanctions being discussed include banning Ukrainian officials from travelling to the EU and freezing their assets there.

Some EU countries are advocating even tougher sanctions, including an arms embargo.

But others said being too harsh too quickly could jeopardise the EU’s role as a mediator trying to end the crisis.

Any decision by the EU ministers would need to be unanimous.

The United States, which has called for sanctions, already has cancelled the visas of several Ukrainian officials connected with the police violence.