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Ukraine crisis: EU's Mogherini urges efforts for truce Ukraine crisis: OSCE 'must double' ceasefire monitors
(about 3 hours later)
The EU's foreign policy chief has called for international efforts to make a fragile ceasefire for eastern Ukraine stick. Russia and Germany have called on the OSCE to double the number of observers monitoring a truce in eastern Ukraine to 1,000.
Speaking ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers, Federica Mogherini insisted implementation of the Minsk peace deal was "the way forward". Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his German counterpart Franck-Walter Steinmeier urged the OSCE to "ramp up" its mission.
This comes after senior figures in the US Congress called for Washington to send lethal defence weapons to Ukraine. The group has said it has experienced problems gaining access to key areas.
The Ukraine crisis is set to dominate the two-day talks in Riga, Latvia. Meanwhile, Ukrainian government sources told the BBC they believed Russian troops were still entering the country.
Ms Mogherini admitted the ceasefire agreed in Minsk last month was "not perfect", but described the overall outlook as "positive". According to some claims, there could be at least 18,000 involved.
"What Ukraine needs now is not only the full respect of its sovereignty, of its territorial integrity, but it is also peace," she said. Last month's ceasefire agreement reached in Minsk required all foreign troops to leave the region.
"And we have to work, all together on these two dimensions." 'Guaranteed access'
US President Barack Obama is said to be studying the option of sending weapons to government forces in Ukraine, but this would put him at odds with some European leaders, notably German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Secretary General Lamberto Zannier said his assessment was that the truce was holding, but he acknowledged "violations".
He told Reuters that the group was struggling to roll out its current mission, aimed at ensuring the removal of weapons and the implementation of the ceasefire.
"My main problem in this moment is not the numbers, it's the access," Mr Zannier said.
"If they had more access, I could get more out of them. That is really my challenge."
The EU's policy chief Federica Mogherini, agreed the OSCE's presence on the ground should be increased, but said it needed "guaranteed access".
Speaking after a meeting of foreign ministers in Riga she said there were plans to provide monitors with satellite equipment to observe areas "it is not possible to reach physically".
Analysis: Gavin Lee, BBC News, Riga
The two day talks here in Riga are dominated by the fragile ceasefire in Ukraine and the intensifying civil war in Libya.
But Latvian and Lithuanian ministers tell me they're using the summit to raise the issue of the perceived threat of Russia's "information war".
They claim anti-EU television and media propaganda is targeting the minority Russian speakers in the Baltic states.
The Secretary of State for the Latvian Defence Ministry, Janis Sarts, believes Russian propaganda is directly affecting some of the country's 500,000 Russian speakers, a quarter of its population.
He spoke of a "spell of propaganda" he feels is being used to destabilise the situation, alongside alleged military intimidation.
Baltic states shiver as Russia flexes muscles
On Monday, the leaders of Russia, Germany and France agreed to Ukraine's proposal to ask the OSCE to help with ensuring the ceasefire was held.
Both Ukraine and the pro-Russian rebels say they are withdrawing heavy weapons from the combat zone. But there have been reports of fighting.
'Not perfect'
Earlier, senior figures in the US Congress called for Washington to send lethal defence weapons to Ukraine.
US President Barack Obama is said to be studying the option, but this would put him at odds with some European leaders, notably German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken told German radio on Friday that if aggression from pro-Russian separatists continued, the need to help the Kiev authorities "protect themselves" would only increase.US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken told German radio on Friday that if aggression from pro-Russian separatists continued, the need to help the Kiev authorities "protect themselves" would only increase.
"We also know that if we were to supply more defence technology, Russia could easily counter that by providing two, three or four times what we do," he told DLF."We also know that if we were to supply more defence technology, Russia could easily counter that by providing two, three or four times what we do," he told DLF.
In a separate development, Britain is to provide a further £850,000 ($1.29m; €1.18m) worth of non-lethal defensive equipment to Ukraine. The Ukraine crisis is set to dominate the two-day talks in Riga.
Baltic concerns Ms Mogherini admitted the ceasefire agreed in Minsk last month was "not perfect", but described the overall outlook as "positive".
The EU meeting in the Latvian capital comes amid heightened tension over Ukraine. She said the European Union was "doing enough'' and insisted that the implementation of the peace deal was "the way to go forward".
Military exercises
Latvia and its Baltic neighbours Estonia and Lithuania have voiced concern about what they see as Russia's increasingly aggressive attitude.Latvia and its Baltic neighbours Estonia and Lithuania have voiced concern about what they see as Russia's increasingly aggressive attitude.
At the scene: Gavin Lee, BBC News, Riga
Here inside the multi-million pound Latvian national Library complex, the 28 EU foreign ministers are meeting for an event that's been long on the agenda.
Now with unfolding events in Ukraine, and allegations of Russian attempts to destabilise the Baltic states, the focus and urgency of these talks has been sharpened.
Latvian and Lithuanian ministers have told me that their immediate concern is what they perceive to be "Russia's information war" - anti-EU television and media propaganda that they claim is targeting the minority Russian speakers in the Baltic states.
The Lithuanian Foreign Minister, Linos Linkevics, says he'll be using the summit to call on other EU members to address ways to counter the perceived threat.
The ministers of all three Baltic states say they believe the EU should be moving faster to respond to Russia's unpredictable President Vladimir Putin.
Moscow continues to rejects accusations of aggressive action.
Baltic states shiver as Russia flexes muscles
They fear Nato and the EU have moved too slowly to counter Russia's actions.They fear Nato and the EU have moved too slowly to counter Russia's actions.
Nato has increased its military presence in the Baltic states, with several military drills and training exercises in Lithuania in recent weeks.Nato has increased its military presence in the Baltic states, with several military drills and training exercises in Lithuania in recent weeks.
Correspondents say it is a deliberate show of force and an act of unity against an alleged threat from Russia to the former Soviet states.Correspondents say it is a deliberate show of force and an act of unity against an alleged threat from Russia to the former Soviet states.
On Thursday Russia announced large-scale military exercises in the annexed Crimea, as well as breakaway regions of Georgia.On Thursday Russia announced large-scale military exercises in the annexed Crimea, as well as breakaway regions of Georgia.
At least 6,000 people are believed to have been killed since the conflict in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions erupted last April, a month after Russia annexed Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula.At least 6,000 people are believed to have been killed since the conflict in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions erupted last April, a month after Russia annexed Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula.
During a briefing of the UN Security Council, the head of humanitarian aid operations, John Ging, said the number of people in eastern Ukraine without access to basic necessities was "staggering".
"Five million people across the country are now in need of humanitarian assistance - two million in government controlled areas and three million in non-government controlled areas," he said.
Meanwhile German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Russia's Sergei Lavrov called for the number of international monitors working for the OSCE security group in the conflict area to be increased to 1,000, according to Russia's foreign ministry.
OSCE officials said in February the number of monitors in eastern Ukraine would be increased to 350.
Ukraine and Western leaders say there is clear evidence that Russia is helping the rebels with weapons and soldiers - something Moscow denies.
Independent experts echo the accusation, but Russia insists that any Russians serving with the rebels are "volunteers".