Obama supported the Ukrainian assault to Slaviansk and threatened Russia with new sanctions

U.S. President Barack Obama has threatened Russia with new sanctions, television channel CNBC. "If the Russian leadership does not change its course, it will face a growing diplomatic and economic isolation,” said the head of the White House. The U.S. President also supported the military operation of Kiev in Slaviansk, Donetsk. The first major offensive of the Ukrainian army to the east was called by the White House chief Kiev’s desire to "restore order" in the region.

Today, the U.S. leader met with Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss the Ukrainian crisis.

At a joint press conference, Obama said that while further strengthening the conflict, the West will have no other choice but to impose additional sanctions against Russia. "Further sanctions will be inevitable," Merkel agreed with her U.S. counterpart.

Both leaders made it clear that the next step will be the imposition of Western restrictive measures in respect of certain sectors of the Russian economy, in particular, the military- industrial complex and energy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin "should abandon the current policy," Obama said.

Since the beginning of the Crimean campaign and the subsequent aggravation of Russian - Ukrainian relations, the U.S. and the EU successively introduced sanctions against Russian officials and businessmen. Now the U.S. Treasury sanctions list consists of 43 Russians (including Crimean officials) and 19 legal entities and the list of the European Union includes 48 Russian politicians and businessmen.-02D-