BRUSSELS, November 18 (Sputnik) — At their Monday meeting in Brussels, European Union foreign ministers did not touch upon the so-called "red line" which, if crossed, may result in the EU boosting its sanctions against Russia, a diplomatic source told Sputnik Tuesday.
"The ministers did not discuss the 'red line' regarding economic sanctions yesterday," a diplomat who requested anonymity said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Russian newspaper Kommersant reported, citing a source from one of the European Union's most influential states, that the block may expand its sanctions against Moscow if the Donbas independence supporters launch an offensive in Ukraine's east.
According to the newspaper, an attempt by the independence supporters to seize more territories is likely to become a "red line" for the EU, prompting the block to discuss additional sanctions against Russia at its December summit.
On Monday, European Union foreign ministers met in Brussels to discuss the situation in eastern Ukraine. The Foreign Affairs Council decided not to impose additional sanctions against Moscow. However the ministers ordered EU bodies to add more independence supporters from eastern Ukraine to the block's sanctions list by the end of November.
Relations between Russia and the West have gone downhill since the eruption of a crisis in Ukraine with several rounds of economic sanctions having been imposed against Russia by the United States, the European Union and their allies. In August, Moscow responded to the western sanctions by issuing a ban on the import of certain food products from the European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia and Norway.
