EU foreign ministers are to meet in the Latvian capital Riga with the Ukraine crisis expected to dominate the agenda.
Latvia and its Baltic neighbours Estonia and Lithuania have
voiced concern about what they see as Russia's increasingly aggressive
attitude.
Lithuania has reintroduced conscription and Estonia has accused Moscow of being behind a number of cyber-attacks.
The Baltic states fear Nato and the EU move too slowly to counter Russia's actions.
Latvia, which is hosting the informal meeting, currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU.
The summit comes as Nato continues to increase its military
presence in the Baltic states, with several military drills and training
exercises in Lithuania in recent weeks.
Correspondents say it is a deliberate show of force and an
act of unity against an alleged threat from Russia to the former Soviet
states.
Polish and Italian jets took part in a Nato air policing mission near the Lithuanian city of Siauliai last month
The authorities in Lithuania are also bringing back conscription after a rise in snap military drills by Russian forces as well as overflights along its border.
UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon recently described Russia
as a "real and present danger" to the Baltic states. But Moscow rejects
the claims.
On Thursday Russia announced large-scale military exercises in the annexed Crimea as well as breakaway regions of Georgia.
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