© AP
Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the European Union of turning a blind eye to the Ukrainian troops "directly targeting" civilians in the east of the country.
The Ukrainian military "is directly targeting its fire on residential areas" and "unfortunately many countries, including in Europe, prefer not to notice that," Putin said on Monday.
He added that the goal of pro-Russia forces operating in eastern Ukraine is "to push back [Ukrainian] armed forces and artillery so they cannot fire on residential areas."
The eastern parts of Ukraine have been witnessing four months of fighting between the pro-West government and pro-Russia fighters.
Putin's comments came hours after the European Union threatened to slap new sanctions on Russia. Moscow has already been under European sanctions over its alleged involvement in the deadly insurgency in neighboring Ukraine.
Comment: Psychological operation: The myth of a "Russian invasion" and the truth about the war in Ukraine
Russian and Ukrainian envoys will sit down for face-to-face talks in the Belarusian capital of Minsk on Monday as part of efforts to end the deadly violence in Ukraine's restive east.
The talks come against the backdrop of Putin's call for discussions on the creation of an independent state in eastern Ukraine.
On Sunday Putin urged Kiev to start talks on the issue of "statehood" in Ukraine's southeast, saying talks should be held with the objective of safeguarding the legitimate interests of the people who live there.
Since Kiev launched military operations to silence the pro-Russia protesters in mid-April, Ukraine's mainly Russian-speaking regions in the country's east have witnessed deadly clashes between pro-Moscow forces and the Ukrainian army.
Comment: Amid all lies and sanctions against him, Putin continues to ask for an end to the slaughter of unarmed civilians in East Ukraine by the Kiev junta army, which is financed and supported by the U.S. and NATO. Who's the villain here?