The European Union gave dialogue another chance in the Ukraine crisis, signing on to a new OSCE roadmap for peace today while warning of tough sanctions if a May 25 election fails.
Meeting a day after sharply-criticised separatist votes in eastern Ukraine, EU foreign ministers ramped up sanctions, slapping an asset freeze and travel ban on a further 13 people.
For the first time in the months-long crisis, the ministers also targeted entities, extending the EU blacklist to 61 names by also freezing the assets of two firms confiscated in Crimea and Sevastopol after Russia's March annexation of the territory.
But the tone of today's statements appeared conciliatory, with the door left open to dialogue and the emphasis on the need for a successful May 25 presidential vote in Ukraine.
"I hope we will strongly support those elections," said British Foreign Secretary William Hague. "In the vast majority of Ukraine there is no difficulty with the elections going ahead."
In Brussels to brief the ministers on his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week, Swiss President Didier Brkhalter, current chair of the influential East-West security organisation OSCE, said there was "a window of opportunity of a few days" ahead of the vote.
The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe was planning to send 1,000 monitors to Ukraine for the election, "one of the biggest missions" in the organisation's history.
"It is very important that we believe that the election can take place and that we act in that direction," he said.
But first the OSCE was attempting to launch a national dialogue to bring all players around the table, from the government, the parliament and the regions.
Repeatedly stressing "we can't lose time", Berkhalter said he hoped not only for wide Ukrainian support but also the backing of the EU, Russia and the United States to enable roundtable talks to launch in the next few days.
"If we want to succeed in the end it is about the integration of all actors. The integration of the Russian Federation above all is very important.
"We have seen in Moscow that there is an openness for a dialogue," said Burkhalter.
