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BRUSSELS The European Union will make a decision on further Russia sanctions by Friday, Italian Foreign Minister and EU foreign policy chief-designate Federica Mogherini said Tuesday.

Speaking at a news conference in the European Parliament, Mogherini said the work on the new sanctions package started on Monday and said the European Commission will present options by Wednesday.

And by Friday a decision will be adopted, she said.

The sanctions are expected to build on measures taken in July to hit Russias energy, defense and financial sectors. Officials said late Monday that details were still being worked out. Russia has already warned it would retaliate against any fresh sanctions measures.

At a summit Saturday, EU leaders urged Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine and stem the flow of weapons and fighters across its border into eastern Ukraine, where pro-Moscow rebels are facing Ukrainian forces.

Russia has said it has sent no troops into Ukraine and has called on Kiev to sit down and negotiate with the rebels.

Mogherini said the situation in eastern Ukraine is getting more dramatic.

We speak about an aggression, she told reporters. I think that we need to respond in the strongest possible way to that.

An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com

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The Wall Street Journal: EU to decide on further Russia sanctions by Friday