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TOKYO, April 18 Reuters Oil prices climbed to nearly threeweek highs on Monday as fears over tight global supply grew, with the deepening crisis in Ukraine raising the prospect of heavier sanctions by the West on top exporter Russia.

Brent futures were up 1.09, or 1.0, at 112.79 a barrel at 0445 GMT, after hitting its highest since March 30 of 113.80 earlier in the session.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures rose 1.00, or 0.9, to 107.95 a barrel, having gained to as high as 108.55, the highest since March 30.

Ahead of Easter weekend holidays, both contracts gained more than 2.5 on Thursday on news that the European Union might phase in a ban on Russian oil imports.

EU governments said last week the bloc39;s executive was drafting proposals to ban Russian crude, but diplomats said Germany was not actively supporting an immediate embargo. 

Those comments came before tensions grew in the Ukraine crisis over the weekend, with Ukrainian soldiers resisting a Russian ultimatum to lay down arms on Sunday in the pulverised port of Mariupol. Moscow, which calls its actions in Ukraine a special operation, said its forces had almost completely seized the city.

Continued war between Russia and Ukraine with no signs of a ceasefire fuelled supply fears, especially as demand is expected to pick up as driving season…