European Union leaders asked their foreign ministers on Tuesday to consider possible new sanctions on Russia in response to a rebel offensive in eastern Ukraine, but a final decision to impose them is likely to be left to a summit next month.

• January 27, 2015

Germany's foreign minister hinted at further sanctions on Russia on Monday, saying the European Union would have to react if pro-Russian separatists launched a broad offensive on the east Ukrainian port city of Mariupol.

• January 26, 2015

U.S. stocks fell on Monday after a decisive Greek election victory by the Syriza party spurred concern over fresh instability in the euro zone, even as the possibility of Greece leaving the bloc was considered remote.

• January 26, 2015

China called on India on Monday to take more steps to satisfy the standards of a global organization that controls atomic exports after U.S. President Barack Obama said the United States was in favor of India joining the group.

• January 26, 2015

Pro-Moscow rebels, backed by what NATO says is the open participation of Russian troops, pressed on with their offensive on Sunday after restarting the war in eastern Ukraine with the first all-out assault since a truce five months ago.

• January 25, 2015

Pro-Russian rebels launched new attacks against Ukrainian government positions on Sunday, the Kiev army said, as Western countries threatened more sanctions against Moscow for backing a new separatist offensive.

• January 25, 2015

Senior figures in the European Union brandished a threat of new sanctions against Russia over the weekend violence in eastern Ukraine, with one blasting what he called "appeasement" of Moscow.

• January 25, 2015

Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed on Friday what he said were Kiev's "criminal orders" for a surge in fighting in east Ukraine in which civilians have been killed.

• January 23, 2015