EU ambassadors are meeting in Brussels on Monday to agree on further sanctions against Russia, as tensions continue to grow in Eastern Ukraine.
The meeting comes after US President Barack Obama announced a new set of targeted measures against Russian Vladimir Putin's inner circle and called on Europe to join forces with the US.
Meanwhile, Moldovan citizens will no longer require visas to travel to the EU from Monday, as the bloc presses ahead with deeper ties with east European nations in defiance of Russia.
After Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea earlier in March, a Moldovan region is thought to be the next potential Russian target.
In response to the Ukrainian crisis, the Commission also released on Monday the first of the 11billion euros financial aid package promised to Ukraine.
Also last week, pro-Russian rebels held eight European observers hostage, as they were traveling to the region in an attempt to encourage compliance with the Geneva peace deal.
