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Poroshenko fears the Ukraine conflict is reaching “the point of no return.”

Herman Van Rompuy, European Council President the European Union has given Russia one week to reverse course in Ukraine or face new sanctions. Western leaders say there is clear evidence of regular Russian military units operating inside Ukraine with heavy weapons. Russia denies that its forces have illegally crossed into Ukraine. NATO claimed on Thursday that Russia had sent air defence systems, artillery, tanks and armoured vehicles as well as 1,000 troops to support pro-Russia separatists.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said "We are very close to the point of no return". German Chancellor Angela Merkel is hoping to seek a diplomatic solution to the issue and sees no military solution to the conflict. Poroshenko, visited Brussels to urge the EU to take tougher steps as the sanctions imposed by the west seem to do little to halt the advance of Russian forces. Poroshenko will travel to the NATO summit in Wales this week to meet the US president, Barack Obama, to possibly convince the alliance to take more practical action.