US ready to step up Moscow sanctions
Print Edition
THE United States is prepared to step up sanctions against Moscow if pro-Russian military actions in eastern Ukraine continue, the US envoy to the United Nations said yesterday.
Pro-Russian activists seized government buildings on Saturday in the eastern town of Slaviansk. Ukrainian security forces were trying to oust the activists.
The American ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, said on ABC’s “This Week” that the latest events in Ukraine bore “the telltale signs of Moscow’s involvement.”
She said sanctions already imposed by the US had an impact: the Russian ruble has fallen to an all-time low, the country’s stock market has depreciated by 20 percent and investors are fleeing the country.
“The president has made clear that, depending on Russian behavior, sectoral sanctions in energy, banking, mining could be on the table, and there’s a lot in between,” Power said. “I think we’ve seen that the sanctions can bite, and if actions like the kind we’ve seen over the last few days continue, you’re going to see a ramping up of those sanctions.”
Asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to seize eastern Ukraine, Power said his actions “give credence to the idea.” Power said the rebellion has “all the telltale signs of what we saw in Crimea. It’s professional, it’s coordinated ...”
Republican Senator John McCain said the Obama administration’s failure to punish Russia over Crimea had only emboldened Putin.
“The question is now, What do we do and what does he do?” he said. “It’s obvious that he is encouraged by the fact that we sanctioned a few people and suspended — didn’t even throw him out — of the G8.”
McCain repeated his calls for tougher sanctions and for giving Ukrainians light weapons so they can defend themselves.
“They didn’t fight in Crimea,” he said. “But if he starts moving in further encroachment in this way into eastern Ukraine, they will fight.”
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
