Rompuy: EU ready to impose sanctions on Russia at any moment

The members of the European Council agreed to have a meeting to discuss further sanctions.

The European Union assures the heads of state and government are ready to hold an extraordinary meeting to take decisions on tightening sanctions against Russia if needed.

The president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, recalled the Council's decision of June 27 during his speech at a plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday, Ukrinform reports.

“On Friday [June 27], after speaking with President Poroshenko, the European Council laid out a set of urgent and concrete steps on which our next decisions would depend. The Council will assess the situation and, should it be required, adopt the necessary decisions. The European Council leaders are committed to reconvene at any time for further significant restrictive measures [against Russia],” Rompuy said.

The permanent representatives of the EU member states to the European Council recently failed to reach a consensus on tougher sanctions against Russia. The Council's members agreed to return to the issue next Monday.