EU ready to impose new sanctions on Russia

The European Union's leaders decided Sunday to give Russia one week to de-escalate Ukraine crisis, otherwise they would impose tougher sanctions on Russia, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said.

"The European Council said that it is ready to take further significant steps in the light of the evolution of the situation on the ground and it requests the council to urgently take preparatory work and present proposals for consideration within a week," Xinhua quoted Van Rompuy as telling a press conference after a special summit in Brussels.

European Commission President Jose Manual Barroso said in the same press conference that EU would not consider a military solution to the Ukraine crisis.