US President Barack Obama warned yesterday that additional sanctions would be imposed if Russia does not move swiftly to reduce tensions in eastern Ukraine.
In a telephone call with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Obama also vowed to press Russia to persuade separatist groups to abide by a ceasefire agreement, the White House said.
The two leaders agreed to “coordinate measures to impose additional costs on Russia if it fails to take rapid action to deescalate the situation in eastern Ukraine,” where 400 people have died in unrest since April, it added in a statement.
Obama and Renzi “also stressed the need for Russia to use its influence over separatist groups to persuade them to abide by the cease-fire.
