BRUSSELS, Belgium—European Union leaders warned Russia on Monday that talks on a wide-ranging political and economic agreement would be postponed unless Russian troops pull back from positions in Georgia.

The threat to delay talks set for this month on the “partnership and cooperation agreement” with Russia came after Britain and eastern European nations held out for a tougher line. But Europe’s dependence on Russian oil and gas effectively ruled out stronger sanctions.

“I think we found an excellent compromise (by) not going back to business as usual, but still making clear that we want to maintain contact with Russia,” said German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

At a four-hour meeting, the leaders tasked EU bureaucrats to study alternative energy sources to reverse growing dependence on Russia, which currently supplies a third of the EU’s oil and 40 percent of its natural gas.

Earlier, Russia warned the West against supporting Georgia’s leadership, suggesting that the United States carried weapons as well as aid to the ex-Soviet republic and calling for an arms embargo until the Georgian government falls.