EU Expected to Toughen Sanctions on Russia

European Commission President Barroso and French President Hollande Comment Ahead of Brussels Meeting

By Laurence Norman in Brussels And Sam Schechner in Paris, WSJ

European Union leaders will agree to new sanctions on Russia, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and French President François Hollande said on Saturday, amid the deepening crisis in Ukraine.

"I expect the leaders of the European Union member states…to be ready for a new round of sanctions following the recent escalation and further destabilization of Ukraine. That's what they have said and that's what I expect them to do," Mr. Barroso said after a meeting with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

Mr. Hollande also said that probable incursions by Russian troops inside Ukraine will "no doubt" lead the EU to slap a new round of sanctions on Moscow.

EU leaders are meeting Saturday afternoon to agree their picks for two top EU jobs and to discuss the crisis in Ukraine and other foreign policy issues. Mr. Poroshenko will join that meeting. On the agenda will be the possibility of imposing a fresh round of sanctions on Russia, broadening the measures the bloc imposed in July.

(More here.)