LUXEMBVOURG, April 14. /ITAR-TASS/. The catastrophic situation in Ukraine will dominate the agenda of a routine meeting of the Foreign ministers of 28 member-countries of the European Union (EU), which opens here on Monday, andis to be followed by a similar session of Defence ministers.

The Ministers are also to discuss the possibility of stiffening sanctions against Russia and consider the gas transportation-related situation in Ukraine.

A source in the EU foreign policy service told Itar-Tass, "The Ministers are to examine the situation concerning a sharp escalation of tension in Ukraine's east and make an esimate of outside forces' participation in escalating the situation."

The EU Foreign ministers are to compare notes ahead of the April 17 talks of the foreign policy chiefs of Russia, the United States, the EU, and Ukraine in Geneva.

The EU expects the (Foreign Ministers') meeting to mark the start of a substantive dialogue on efforts towarda settling the crisis in Ukraine, Catherine Ashton, EU High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said Sunday. She also expresssed a deep concern over mounting tension in Ukraine's east.