"Secretary Kerry will be meeting with EU foreign ministers on Ukraine. The purpose is to touch base before the EU Council of Ministers meeting in Brussels today," an American diplomat told the press.

The talks were being held on the sidelines of an international meeting on Libya, and included Britain's deputy foreign minister.

EU leaders were set to hold an emergency summit in Brussels later Thursday with Ukraine's interim prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who took over after former pro-Moscow president Viktor Yanukovych fled to Russia last month following three months of deadly protests.

The summit will be attended by Angela Merkel, Francois Hollande, David  Cameron and other European Union leaders to discuss "the situation in Ukraine and the EU's reaction," according to the European Council.

The priority for the EU is to strengthen the near-bankrupt former Soviet republic and its fledgling government.

SEE ALSO: Ukraine crisis threatens new 'Cold War': Italy FM

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