MOSCOW, July 19 (RIA Novosti) – US President Barack Obama in a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron discussed a possibility of imposing new sanctions against Russia in case no steps to de-escalation of Ukrainian crisis are taken, Reuters reported Saturday citing the White House statement.
"While agreeing to continue efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the current crisis, they reaffirmed their determination to remain in close contact as they consider what additional actions may be required," the statement said regarding Obama's talk with Merkel.
"They emphasized that Russia bears a clear responsibility to deny separatists in eastern Ukraine continued access to heavy weapons and other support from inside Russia," the document added.
In course of another call, Obama and Cameron "reiterated the need to take further action if Russia continues to fail to take steps [to de-escalate the Ukraine conflict],” the White House said.
Earlier on Wednesday, the US Treasury introduced a so-called Sectoral Sanctions Identification List that targeted defense, energy and banking sectors of the Russian economy.
The sanctions are considered by the West as an adequate response to Moscow’s alleged involvement in the Ukrainian crisis, and were first introduced after Crimea’s reunification with Russia in March.
Russian Foreign Ministry had repeatedly stated the language of sanctions was counterproductive and would have a boomerang effect, especially on European economies. President Vladimir Putin said the new sanctions required a careful look but warned that they could bring the US-Russian ties to a dead end.
