Leaders of the G7 industrial nations meeting in Brussels say they are prepared to impose further sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine.<\/p>\n
A joint statement condemned Moscow for its “continuing violation” of Ukraine’s sovereignty.<\/p>\n
The G7 summit is the first since Russia was expelled from the group following its annexation of Crimea in March.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, leaders are set to discuss the global economic outlook, climate change and development issues.<\/p>\n
Although Russian President Vladimir Putin is not at the Brussels summit, he will hold face-to-face talks with some G7 leaders – not including US President Barack Obama – in Paris afterwards.<\/p>\n
However, both Mr Putin and Mr Obama will attend a ceremony commemorating the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings in France on Friday.<\/p>\n
While in Poland on Wednesday, President Obama warned Moscow against what he called its “dark tactics” in Ukraine.<\/p>\n
Diplomacy has intensified to try to resolve the biggest crisis in years between Russia and the West, says the BBC’s Chris Morris in Brussels.<\/p>\n
‘Further destabilisation’<\/p>\n
G7 leaders gathered in Brussels on Wednesday evening for the summit’s opening dinner.<\/p>\n
“We are united in condemning the Russian Federation’s continuing violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” the leaders said in a joint statement.<\/p>\n
“We stand ready to intensify targeted sanctions and to consider meaningful additional restrictive measures to impose further costs on Russia should events so require.”<\/p>\n
German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters: “We can’t afford a further destabilisation of Ukraine.”<\/p>\n
“We have made clear that we want to continue with our three-step approach – support Ukraine in economic issues, talks with Russia, and should there no progress on all those issues… the possibility of sanctions, tougher sanctions, remains on the table,” she said.<\/p>\n
Earlier, UK Prime Minister David Cameron said he expected the G7 to send a clear message of support for Ukraine.<\/p>\n
The summit was originally to have been held in the Russian city of Sochi.<\/p>\n
Speaking in Warsaw to mark 25 years since the fall of communism in Poland, Mr Obama hailed Polish democracy as a beacon for neighbouring Ukraine.<\/p>\n
He also met Ukraine’s President-elect Petro Poroshenko, and pledged support for plans to restore peace to the country.<\/p>\n
But he also condemned what he called Russian “aggression” in eastern Ukraine,<\/p>\n
“How can we allow the dark tactics of the 20th Century to define the 21st?” he said.<\/p>\n
Mr Obama pledged $5m (\u00a33m) of military assistance to Kiev including body armour and night-vision goggles.<\/p>\n
Mr Poroshenko, a billionaire sweet manufacturer, was elected in May.<\/p>\n
He will be at the D-Day commemorations ahead of his inauguration on Saturday and said he did not rule out meeting Mr Putin.<\/p>\n
Mr Putin told French TV he was “not going to avoid any of them” but said Mr Poroshenko needed to be serious about a dialogue with factions in eastern Ukraine.<\/p>\n
“I think Mr Poroshenko has a unique opportunity. He still doesn’t have blood on his hands. He still can stop this reprisal operation and start a direct dialogue with citizens of the south and the east of his country,” he said.<\/p>\n