Baltic leaders call for arms embargo against Russia amid Ukraine crisis

Baltic leaders have called for an arms embargo against Russia amid the crisis in the Ukraine.

Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said the EU should consider imposing an arms embargo against Russia, Public Broadcasting reports.

On Tuesday, European Union foreign ministers gather to discuss imposing additional sanctions against Russia amid the Ukraine crisis.

Paet said: "If you look at Russia's behavior in the last few months in Ukraine and now, at a passenger plane being shot down by the so-called separatists supported by Russia, the talk that we still have to wait and see will only lead to new tragic consequences."

Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas said an arms embargo would directly impact Russia's economy and therefore was necessary.

"If export restrictions on one or another group of goods from the European Union to Russia are agreed upon, then no doubt this also affects the countries that trade with Russia," said Rõivas.

Meanwhile, Latvia has summoned Russian ambassador to Latvia Alexander Veshnyakov. amid the downing of the Malaysia Airlines flight

Latvian defense minister Raimonds Vejois said some EU states were reluctant to impose an arms embargo against Russia due to economic interests. France has sold warships to Russia whilst Germany provides defense systems to Russia also.

The EU should 'bare its teeth' against Russia in order to put an end to to the conflict in the Ukraine, the defense minister said.