European Union ambassadors are set to discuss widening sanctions on Russia after the downing of a Malaysian airliner in eastern Ukraine, allegedly by Moscow-backed rebels.
EU leaders agreed at a summit last week to expand sanctions against Russia to target companies that help undermine Ukrainian sovereignty and to draw up a list of companies and people to be targeted with asset freezes by the end of July.
EU foreign ministers said on July 22 the bloc could also restrict Russia's access to capital markets, defense and sensitive technologies "including in the energy sector" unless Russia halts the flow of weapons across the Ukraine border.
European Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger has suggested that the EU should not give Russia technical help to develop Arctic oil and gas fields if Moscow failed to help defuse the Ukraine crisis.
Based on reporting by Reuters and BBC
