WASHINGTON — The United States and European Union plan to impose new sanctions against Russia this week, including penalties targeting key sectors of the Russian economy, the White House said Monday.
The show of Western solidarity followed a joint video teleconference between President Barack Obama and the leaders of Britain, Germany, France and Italy. The West has been moving for several days toward tougher sanctions after the downing of a passenger jet in eastern Ukraine, an attack the U.S. says was carried out by Russian-backed separatists in the region.
The sanctions are likely to target Russia’s energy, arms and financial sectors. The EU is also weighing the prospect of levying penalties on individuals close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who appears to be deepening Russia’s role in destabilizing Ukraine.
“It’s precisely because we’ve not yet seen a strategic turn from Putin that we believe it’s absolutely essential to take additional measures, and that’s what the Europeans and the United States intend to do this week,” said Tony Blinken, Obama’s deputy national security adviser.
Europe, which has a stronger trade relationship with Russia than the U.S., has lagged behind Washington with its earlier sanctions package, in part out of concern from leaders that the penalties could have a negative impact on their own economies. But a spokesman for British Prime Minister David Cameron said following Monday’s call that the West agreed that the EU should move a “strong package of sectoral sanctions as swiftly as possible.”
The U.S. penalties are expected to be imposed after Europe finalizes its moves.
As the West presses ahead with new sanctions, U.S. officials say Russia is getting more directly involved in the clash between separatists and the Ukrainian government.
