By Ilgin Karlidag

BRUSSELS

Rifts among EU foreign ministers over whether to arm Ukrainian forces battling separatist fighters have become increasingly apparent after Washington pushed for support for the move.

Speaking to reporters ahead of an EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels on Monday, Sweden’s Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom opposed the move.

She said: ''I really hope that there is not anyone who wants us to have an escalation of the conflict and have more weapons."

"With how the humanitarian solution is looking in Ukraine, we can only wish for things to go in the right direction. And this is not more killing, this is not more suffering in eastern Ukraine, but it is an attempt to find a political solution.''

Wallstrom added: ''This is the European way – not responding with more weapons and with an escalation but to actually see if we can find other ways."

''There is no military solution. We must try to make Russia live up to its commitments and find a political way forward."

'Logical move'

But Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Linas Antanas Linkevičius said: ''We should help Ukraine not just financially, economically and politically but also in military way."

He said the EU was not discussing sending soldiers to Ukraine, but that the bloc should support Ukrainian government forces with what he called "defensive weapons".

He added: "I would say it's a logical move. No one wants war, but ... we cannot trust a single word [from the] Russian leadership apparently. It's worthless unless proved on the ground."

The comments came on the same day German Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to brief U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington over a peace plan to end the fighting in Ukraine.

The talks come amid pressure in Washington to send weapons to Ukrainian troops – a move which Merkel opposes and critics warn may escalate conflict.

“I cannot imagine any situation in which improved equipment for the Ukrainian army leads to President Putin being so impressed that he believes he will lose militarily,” Merkel said at a security conference in Munich on Saturday.

EU leaders are expected on Monday to add 19 new names to a sanctions list which includes travel bans and asset freezes over the conflict in Ukraine.