The West vs. Russia - New Sanctions ?

The White House: The latest readout of President Obama's calls to EU leaders, the statement is as follows, "Today the President spoke with President Hollande of France, Chancellor Merkel of Germany, Prime Minister Renzi of Italy, and Prime Minister Cameron of the UK to consult about the alarming situation in eastern Ukraine.  The leaders noted the positive steps that Ukraine had taken to move forward on the actions to which it committed in the April 17 joint statement by Ukraine, Russia, the European Union, and the United States – including proposing an amnesty law for those who will peacefully leave the buildings they have seized in eastern Ukraine, supporting the work of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and committing themselves once again to a process of constitutional reform and decentralization.  The leaders also agreed that Russia had not reciprocated – including by not publicly supporting the Geneva accord, nor calling on armed militant groups to lay down their arms and leave the government buildings they’ve occupied – and had in fact continued to escalate the situation through its increasingly concerning rhetoric and threatening military exercises on Ukraine’s border.

 

The President noted that the United States is prepared to impose targeted sanctions to respond to Russia's latest actions. The leaders agreed to work closely together, and through the G7 and European Union, to coordinate additional steps to impose costs on Russia. The leaders underscored that Russia could still choose a peaceful resolution to the crisis, including by implementing the Geneva accord. ".

Lets Get Real:

If your President Putin your shaking in your bear boots NOT, this is the typical weak rubbish we have heard for weeks from the West, Moscow does not want a peaceful resolution, it wants to win and rub Obama's nose in that fact, how the West does not get that point is shameful.   The EU is just to weak, Germany needs the gas from Russia, as do other former Warsaw Countries.  The US IF it lead could force the EU to move to tougher sanctions, but with Obama he wants to be liked by Europe, he does not want the US lead, he wants nearly anybody else to lead, from the EU to the UN.   This will be seen as a green light by Moscow to take action, this weekend should be interesting.