The European Union should step up sanctions on Russia targeting its lucrative energy sector, Lithuanian and Irish foreign ministers said at the start of a week of intense diplomatic talks to agree on further moves against Moscow.

The European Union and its Western allies have already imposed a range of sanctions against Russia, including freezing the assets of its central bank.

Looking at the extent of the destruction in Ukraine, it is very difficult to argue that we should not interfere in the energy sector, especially in oil and coal, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said ahead of the meeting.

Diplomats told Reuters that the Baltic states, including Lithuania, are pushing for an embargo as the next logical step, while Germany, which is heavily dependent on Russian gas, is warning against acting too quickly because of already high energy prices in Europe.