Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte thinks it is still too early to impose sanctions against Russia, local media reported Thursday.

Rutte made the remarks when interviewed with the Dutch broadcaster NOS in Brussels before the start of an EU emergency summit on the Ukraine crisis on Thursday.

Rutte said he still prefers a political solution to the conflict, although he does not exclude severe sanctions to respond to Russia's troop deployment in Ukraine's Crimea region.

"As long as there is a possibility of a route of de-escalation in the next 24, 48, 72 hours we must exploit that," the Dutch PM told Dutch reporters.

"If we're going to announce sanctions, we will definitely lose the route of de-escalation and that will be a risk for the EU," Rutte added.

"If that route does not work, we need to consider sanctions. We must also wait for developments in the coming hours, days. With the current information we have to give de-escalation a chance."

Leaders of the European Union (EU) gathered in Brussels will seek ways to tackle the Ukraine crisis.