THE UK Government has issued a fresh request to Russia to help investigators gain access to the MH17 crash site in eastern Ukraine.
Europe Minister David Lidington urged Russian ambassador Alexander Vladimirovich Yakovenko to ensure Moscow used its influence over separatist fighters to allow experts to examine the site where the Malaysia Airlines plane was downed.
The meeting came a day after Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said Russia had opted to become a pariah state over its actions in Ukraine.
Mr Lidington said: "I welcomed the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine and called on Russia to take immediate steps to end the violence for good, particularly stopping the supply of armour, weapons and personnel across the border and removing all the people and military equipment it has already delivered.
"In light of the ceasefire, I called on Russia to use its influence with separatists to ensure investigators have access to the crash site of flight MH17."
Meanwhile David Cameron has spoken to German chancellor Angela Merkel, French president Francois Hollande, Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi and European Council president Herman Van Rompuy about plans for new sanctions against Moscow.
Energy firms and the financial sector as well as individuals linked to what has been happening in Ukraine will be targeted in this round of restrictions.
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