US eyes more action against Russia if talks fail

VP of America First Legal slams 'unfounded attempts to clog the federal courts as part of state lawfare against the Administration'

Published April 15, 2014 6:44pm EST



WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department says the U.S. is eyeing a new round of sanctions against Russia over its actions in Ukraine, but any new move against Moscow is unlikely until after a diplomatic meeting later this week in Geneva.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki says U.S. officials are actively discussing imposing new sanctions against individuals tied to the Russian government or linked to events in Ukraine.

She said Tuesday that broader sanctions on Russian business sectors remain a viable option if the situation in Ukraine continues to escalate. Armed, pro-Russian insurgents have seized control of buildings in at least nine cities in Ukraine’s restive east.

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton meets Thursday in Switzerland with Secretary of State John Kerry and the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine.