German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, is pictured on the screen of a television camera as she gives a statement for media with Poland's prime minister, Donald Tusk, left, before talks likely to center on the situation in Ukraine at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Friday, April 25, 2014 (Photo: AP)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Friday that EU foreign ministers will meet soon to consider imposing new sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine crisis.
"Given the absence of progress, we have to think about -- and not just think about, but act on -- the option of new sanctions," Merkel said.
"For this purpose, European Union foreign ministers will meet as soon as possible."
Aside from pushing on with diplomatic efforts with Moscow, she said, "we will have to act, and I think this will be a common European action, and a joint action of the G7 states."
She was speaking after a phone call Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the morning, followed by a conference call she and other European leaders held with US President Barack Obama, and with visiting Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk at her side.
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