President Obama is putting his foot down.
According to CBS News, Obama announced sanctions against Russia following the Crimean Peninsula’s vote to secede from the Ukraine to join Russia this week. The President promised that if the country continues to barge in on the Ukraine, there will be more sanctions to follow.
“We’re making it clear that there are consequences for their actions,” Obama said. And, he warned, “If Russia continues to interfere in Ukraine we stand ready to impose further sanctions.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula as an “independent and sovereign country” on Monday, a bold challenge to Washington that escalates one of Europe’s worst security crises in years.
Obama reiterated that Russia’s move to send troops into Crimea broke constitutional rules in the Ukraine and was a clear violation of international law.
The U.S. has issued 11 sanctions thus far, the highest given to Russia since the Cold War.
The new penalties build on an executive order from the White House earlier this month that imposed visa restrictions on pro-Russian opponents of the new government in Ukraine, bringing the total number of individuals facing sanctions to 11. Senior administration officials who briefed reporters on the order described the targeted individuals as “cronies” of the Russian government and arms industry who had taken a leading role in envisioning or implementing the referendum strategy, including former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.
The White House is still looking for ways to help end political conflict within the Ukraine, however Putin has shown no willingness to back down.
SOURCE: CBS News | VIDEO CREDIT: News Inc.
