Gold off 8-month highs as investors monitor Ukraine crisis

Feb 21 (Reuters) - Gold prices eased in volatile trade on Monday even as doubts over a potential summit between the U.S. and Russian presidents to discuss the crisis kept bullion supported near an eight-month high reached earlier.

Spot gold fell 0.2% to $1,895.06 per ounce by 1544 GMT, down from a session high of $1,908.03, its best level since June 3. U.S. gold futures also fell 0.2% to $1,895.70.

European financial markets tumbled at signs of increased confrontation, after having briefly edged higher on a glimmer of hope that a summit might offer a path out of Europe's biggest military crisis in decades. read more

Recent headlines relating to Ukraine have strongly contributed to gold paring its earlier losses as risk appetite has slipped once more, said Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at OANDA.

"We are seeing some resistance around $1,900 but the way the situation is evolving, that may struggle to hold as the day progresses."

A summit is expected to offer a possible path out of Europe's biggest military crisis in decades. The U.S. dollar slipped, limiting losses in the greenback-priced bullion.

"(Gold) is holding up well. The last time we moved up to these levels it ended up being a bull trap and the market came off very sharply. We've seen some good flows into the ETFs, which is encouraging," independent analyst Ross Norman said.

SPDR Gold Trust , the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, said its holdings rose 0.5% on Friday.

"The next few days will be key in determining whether fears over Ukraine can outweigh the encouraging data on the economic front as well as the likelihood of a series of interest rate hikes this year by central banks," analysts at Kinesis Money said.

Silver fell 0.3% to $23.90 per ounce, platinum inched up 0.6% to $1,074.17, and palladium was up 0.8% to $2,364.71.

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