EU ministers agree to impose sanctions against Ukraine

, Feb 21: The

(EU) foreign ministers on Thursday agreed to adopt sanctions against

, including asset freezes, visa bans and ban on exporting anti-riot equipments, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said.

The violence in Ukraine should be ended immediately and any further escalation should be avoided, Xinhua quoted Ashton saying in a press conference, following the meeting, and adding that "those responsible for human rights violations should be brought to justice".

The EU did not publish a blacklist, but Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino told media that all the restrictive measures will be imposed rapidly "in the next hours".

Nearly all member states' foreign ministers agreed on the sanctions on Ukraine, EU sources told Xinhua. The EU Foreign Affairs Council also made a decision to supply emergency medical aids to the violence-mired country.

Protests began in November in the country when the government backtracked on a trade deal with the EU.

IANS