DHAKA: Britain will push for EU sanctions targeting whole sectors of the Russian economy in the wake of the Ukraine plane disaster even if it means taking a short-term ‘hit’ to the economy, its ministers said on Monday.

British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg said ‘the time has now come for sanctions to be tightened further’, and stressed that inaction so far over the Ukraine crisis had ‘not served us well’.

EU foreign ministers meet on Tuesday to decide whether to impose sanctions if Russia does not press Ukraine’s pro-Kremlin separatists to allow access to the crash site of flight MH17 and reduce Moscow’s support for the rebels.

British prime minister David Cameron was due to address parliament on the issue later Monday, reports The Straits Times.

BDST: 1911 HRS, JUL 21, 2014