EU leaders are meeting in Brussels for their final summit of the year to discuss the crisis in Ukraine, as well as a new investment plan to spur economic growth in Europe.
Members of the 28-nation bloc are said to have already agreed new sanctions against Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Russia in March.
The measures are set to target areas like telecommunications, oil, gas and mineral exploration and production in the black sea in order to curb Russian aspirations to develop its core energy industry.
EU leaders are also poised to send tough warnings to the Russian government for failing to stop fighting in eastern Ukraine between pro-Russian militants and government forces.
Meanwhile the EU's new 315 billion euro investment plan is still awaiting firm contributions from member countries - an issue on the agenda today, as our correspondent in Brussels Sandra Gathmann explains:
IN: "European…"
OUT: "…purse strings."
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