EU summit to tackle Ukraine crisis

EU leaders are to begin an emergency summit to decide how strongly they should respond to Russia's troop deployment in Ukraine's Crimea region.

Some members, particularly from Eastern Europe, are pressing for tough sanctions, but others - led by Germany - put more stress on mediation.

The Brussels summit comes a day after high-level talks with Russia in Paris ended without significant progress.

Pro-Russian forces are in de facto control of Crimea.

A tense stand-off continued overnight across the southern region, where Ukrainian troops remain blockaded in their bases.

British Prime Minister David Cameron is hoping that in alliance with Sweden, Poland and other Eastern European countries he can persuade their colleagues of the need for Russian President Vladimir Putin to pay a price for the occupation of Crimea.

Merkel is said to be worried that tough steps may undermine attempts to start a dialogue between Russia and Ukraine and distract from the need to support the new government in Kiev both economically and politically.

Ukraine's new interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk will also be present in Brussels.

The EU summit will probably impose some fairly symbolic sanctions, like halting talks on visa or trade liberalisation.