EU members have expressed shock after the crash and demand that an independent international investigation be launched immediately. What is more, the UK urged stricter sanctions unless Russia changes its attitude.

The UK's new Foreign Minister Philip Hammond has said that he will try to persuade his EU colleagues today to step up sanctions against Russia over its support for the pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine suspected of downing the plane.

The Boeing 777 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it crashed. The Ukrainian government and pro-Russian rebels have accused each other of shooting it down. Many of the passengers were European, including 192 Dutch and ten Britons.

The foreign ministers are moreover expected to launch a mission to Ukraine to help with the country's police reform and discuss the situation in the Middle East.

What is more, Slovenia and France will present the outcome of a recent international donor conference for Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia.

The event held last week raked in EUR 1.8bn in donations and cheap loans for the parts of the countries devastated in severe floods in May.