WASHINGTON, September 11 (RIA Novosti) – The United States is introducing new sanctions targeting Russia's finance, energy and defense industries, US President Barack Obama announced Thursday.
"We are implementing these new measures in light of Russia's actions to further destabilize Ukraine over the last month, including through the presence of heavily armed Russian forces in eastern Ukraine," Obama said in a statement.
"We will deepen and broaden sanctions in Russia's financial, energy, and defense sectors. These measures will increase Russia's political isolation as well as the economic costs to Russia, especially in areas of importance to President Putin and those close to him," the US President stressed.
The details of the new measures are to be unveiled on Friday.
Earlier on Thursday, the European Council unveiled additional sanctions against Russia adopted by the 28-member European Union earlier this week.
According to an EC statement, the strengthened sanctions will affect Russia's energy, finance and defense sectors, as well as 24 individuals allegedly "involved in actions against Ukraine's territorial integrity," including several Russian decision-makers and oligarchs.
Earlier today, President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy confirmed that the new sanctions will come into force on Friday, September 12.
Western countries have introduced several rounds of penalties against Russia, accusing it of expanding forces on the border with eastern Ukraine and supplying independence supporters with weapons, thus escalating the crisis, a claim Moscow has denied.
In August, in response to the sanctions, Moscow imposed a year-long ban on the import of meat, seafood, fruit and vegetables, as well as milk products from the European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia and Norway.
