Obama says will talk to Europe's leaders about Ukraine later in day
U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday he will talk to European leaders later on Friday about Ukraine and may be ready to impose sectoral sanctions if Russia escalates actions.
Obama, on a visit to the South Korean capital, wants to nudge the EU toward fresh sanctions against Russia over Ukraine, sources familiar with the matter said earlier.
U.S. officials have grown increasingly impatient with what they describe as Russia's failure to live up to its commitments in an April 17 agreement reached in Geneva to try to de-escalate the crisis in Ukraine.
The United States is also frustrated at the reluctance of some European nations, notably Germany and Italy, to impose a new round of economic sanctions on Russia but it would much prefer to act in concert with the EU rather than on its own.
Associated Press: 25. April 2014
Obama declares about sectoral sanctions if Russia enters Ukraine
US President Barack Obama declares about sectoral sanctions if Russia enters Ukraine.
The U.S. and Europe are laying the groundwork to sanction broad sectors of Russia's economy if Moscow invades eastern Ukraine, President Barack Obama said Friday, even as he acknowledged that those sanctions may fail to deter Vladimir Putin.
So far, the U.S. has slapped sanctions on individuals but hasn't targeted entire economic sectors, such as Russia's critical energy sector. Obama's comments affirmed that, barring a full-on military incursion, Russia is unlikely to face those beefed-up sanctions, which could ricochet and harm U.S. allies in Europe that do business with Russia.
"We'll continue to keep some arrows in our quiver in the event we see further deterioration," Obama said during a news conference in South Korea, where the president was traveling.
The president comments came a little more than a week after the U.S., Russia, Ukraine and Europe signed an agreement in Geneva aimed at easing the crisis. The accord called for Moscow to get pro-Russian forces to leave the buildings they are occupying in eastern Ukraine, but there are few signs that Russia is following through on that or other commitments.
Unless circumstances change significantly, the West is expected to levy new sanctions on Russian individuals and entities. Obama held a conference call Friday night with leaders from Germany, France, Britain and Italy to discuss possible responses.
French President Francois Hollande's office said the leaders stressed the importance of implementing the Geneva accord and discussed the prospect of adopting new sanctions. But Hollande's office did not indicate that those sanctions would be levied on Friday.
Throughout the crisis, the U.S. has sought to convey a united front with Europe, despite the reluctance of some European nations to levy harsher sanctions. Obama said he was "deeply encouraged" by the consistent condemnation of Russia's actions emanating from capitals across the globe.
Still, Obama conceded that those statements of condemnation, as well as sanctions levied on Russia so far, have not persuaded Russia's leaders to change course. But he insisted that Putin understands the economic hit Russia has already taken as a result of its actions, adding that the Russian president "is not stupid."
As if to underscore those costs, credit agency Standard & Poor's cut Russia's credit rating Friday for the first time in more than five years.
The crisis in Ukraine has trailed Obama throughout his travels across Asia this week. As Obama opened a visit Friday to South Korea, Russia's foreign minister was accusing the West of plotting to control Ukraine. A day earlier, Russia announced new military exercises near its border with Ukraine in yet another sign that tensions have only increased.
With Moscow and Washington trading harsh words, the crisis has brought renewed attention to the testy relationship between Obama and Putin, who was asked during a recent news conference whether Obama would save him if he were drowning. Putin said he was sure that Obama would.
Asked to corroborate that claim on Friday, Obama joked that as a strong swimmer who grew up in Hawaii, he'd like to think he'd save anybody.
"I absolutely would save Mr. Putin if he were drowning," Obama said.
The Washington Post: 25. April 2014
Kerry draws red line on Ukraine, says ‘world’ will make Russia pay for transgressions
The Washington Post: 25. April 2014
Kerry draws red line on Ukraine, says ‘world’ will make Russia pay for transgressions
Secretary of State John F. Kerry accusses Russia of destabilizing eastern Ukraine.
Ignoring Obama administration threats of stiffer sanctions, Russia began military exercises near its border with Ukraine on Thursday after Ukrainian forces killed at least five pro-Russia insurgents in a drive to recapture occupied buildings in the country’s tumultuous east.
The Russian posturing prompted a harsh rebuke Thursday evening from Secretary of State John F. Kerry, who defended the Ukrainian government and lambasted Moscow for taking “an active role in destabilizing eastern Ukraine with personnel, weapons, money, operational planning and coordination.”
Mr. Kerry accused Russia of flouting a U.S.-brokered agreement to ease tensions in Ukraine and declared that the “window for Moscow to change course is closing.”
“If Russia chooses the path of de-escalation, the international community, all of us, will welcome it. If Russia does not, the world will make sure that the costs for Russia will only grow,” he said. “As President Obama reiterated earlier today, we are ready to act.”
He did not elaborate on what actions the White House would take, but his comments were among the strongest by the administration and were made on a day of heightened violence and fears of a widening conflict in eastern Ukraine.
The Ukrainian government said its military forces killed as many as five rebels during an effort to remove roadblocks erected by pro-Russia activists in the city of Slovyansk.
Russian President Vladimir Putin described the Ukrainian military move as a “punitive operation” that could warrant a harsh response.
“If the Kiev government is using the army against its own people, this is clearly a grave crime,” Mr. Putin said in St. Petersburg. “It will have consequences for the people who make such decisions, including relations between our countries.”
His statement and the announcement of military exercises involving ground and air forces escalated tensions over the prospect of a Russian military incursion into Ukraine.
Russia’s foreign minister warned Wednesday that any attack on Russian citizens or interests in eastern Ukraine would trigger a strong response.
The crisis “could quickly spin out of control,” U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned Thursday.
Ukraine issued a 48-hour deadline for Russia to explain its military drills, but its foreign ministry did not say what Ukraine would do if Russia does not comply.
President Obama on Wednesday warned of dire consequences if Russia did not pull back its estimated 40,000 troops from the Ukrainian border and compel pro-Russia militants in eastern Ukraine to lay down their arms.
Speaking in Tokyo during a four-nation tour of Asia, Mr. Obama said Thursday that the U.S. is “teed up” to impose further sanctions if Russia does not abide by a tentative agreement reached last week in Geneva.
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