EU ready with sanctions if Ukraine ceasefire violated, Merkel says

German Chancellor Angela Merkel holds a joint news conference with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker at the EC headquarters in Brussels March 4, 2015. REUTERS/Yves Herman

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned Russia on Wednesday that any serious violation of the current ceasefire in east Ukraine - which she described as "fragile" - would prompt Europe to impose further sanctions on Moscow for supporting the separatists.

"So far we've got a fragile ceasefire which needs to be stabilised," Merkel told reporters in Brussels.