Aug. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev proposed expanding a security alliance with China and Central Asia to counter NATO, as the European Union considered sanctions for its recognition of breakaway Georgian regions.

The alliance, known as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, ``has grown much stronger recently,'' Medvedev said today at a meeting in the Tajik capital Dushanbe. ``It's an authoritative organization that commands respect.'' The group has attracted interest from a number of countries and will consider adding new members, he said.

Relations between Russia, the world's largest energy supplier, and the West reached a post-Cold War low this month over the military conflict in Georgia. Russia ignored calls by the U.S. and its allies and recognized the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states two days ago.

Speaking today in Paris, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said European Union leaders will discuss sanctions against Russia at a Sept. 1 summit called to consider a response.

``Some will propose sanctions, others will be against,'' said Kouchner, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency. ``Sanctions will certainly be brought up'' at the meeting, which will be held in Brussels.

U.K. Foreign Secretary David Miliband yesterday accused Russia of trying ``redraw the map'' of Europe. Russia's five-day war with Georgia and its recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia ``ended the post-Cold War period of growing geopolitical calm in and around Europe,'' Miliband said in the Ukrainian capital Kiev.

Ukraine Call

Ukraine today called on the EU to recognize it as a potential future member, seeking closer ties with the West as a bulwark against a reassertive Russia after the war in Georgia.

``What we would like to obtain is a political signal that the future of Ukraine lies with the European Union,'' Deputy Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Yelisyeyev told reporters in Brussels.

Russia's invasion shattered Europe's security arrangements and should force the EU to rethink its opposition toward expanding further into former Soviet territory, he said.

For his part, Medvedev is looking toward China and the Shanghai-based group to strengthen its geopolitical influence.

In addition to Russia and China, the seven-year-old SCO includes the former Soviet republics of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. The group may decide today to admit either India, Iran, Pakistan or Mongolia, which have ``observer'' status, Medvedev said.

Countering NATO

``Expanding the group would realize Russia's goal of turning the SCO into an anti-American, anti-NATO counterweight,'' said Yevgeny Volk, an analyst in Moscow for the Washington-based Heritage Foundation research group. ``It comes as a result of western criticism of Russia for its military action in Georgia and for recognizing the breakaway regions.''

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the eastward expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is to blame. ``The completely unfounded and unjustified expansion of NATO is leading to this kind of division'' of Europe, he told reporters in Dushanbe.

To contact the reporters on this story: Lyubov Pronina in Dushanbe via the Moscow newsroom at lpronina@bloomberg.net; Alex Nicholson in Moscow at anicholson6@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: August 28, 2008 06:46 EDT