The European Union plans to step up and widen its sanctions against Russia for continuing to support pro-Russian separatist groups in the eastern part of Ukraine.

During a meeting in Brussels yesterday, 28 EU foreign ministers have agreed on stepping up sanctions against Russia to stop Russian support to the separatist in Eastern Ukraine.

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Foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said after the meeting that the EU will present a full package of sanctions on Thursday.

Sanctions will include access to capital markets, defense, dual-use goods and sensitive technologies, including the energy sector.

The EU demands Russia to stop sending military equipment over the border to its separatist supporters in Eastern Ukraine.

Recent reports from U.S. intelligence show that Russia has increased the traffic of weapons to the separatists since the crash of MH 17 last week.

Furthermore, the EU foreign ministers called upon all states and said that those responsible for the downed plane, whether directly or indirectly, must be held accountable and brought to justice.

EU foreign ministers demanded that the separatist groups in Eastern Ukraine and Russia cooperate to ensure "full, immediate, safe and secure access" to the crash site.

The cooperation entails access to a security corridor to facilitate ease in identifying the victims and their possession and quickly to recover the remains in the crash site.

The new UK foreign secretary, Philip Hammond told the BBC after the meeting that he and the rest of the EU have the political commitment to act.

"I now expect the process of further sanctions against Russia will move forward in pace until president Putin deliver on the demands we have," Hammond said.

Carl Bidt, Sweden's foreign minister, said the EU has finally woken up and taking a new stand on the Russia issue.

 "Never before has capital markets, defense or dual-use items, been mentioned in relation to possible sanctions. I am confident that some of this will happen," Bidt told BBC

EU ambassadors will again meet Thursday to make a list that will include the names of associates who actively provided material and financial support to Russia's annexation efforts in Crimea and for the overall destabilization of Eastern Ukraine.

TagsEU Foreign miniesters step up sanctions, EU, Russian sanctions