More Russian aggression in Ukraine. More U.S. and European sanctions imposed on Moscow. What seems like diplomatic tail-chasing so many months into the Ukraine conflict invites questions about how Western powers can defuse the worsening conflict in Eastern Europe. U.S. President Barack Obama and the European Union raised the stakes on Tuesday, announcing long-threatened sanctions that target Russia's state-owned banks, weapons makers and oil companies, along with top cronies of President Vladimir Putin. They want Putin to stop arming pro-Russian separatists fighting the Ukraine government and instead support a political process that entrenches President Petro Poroshenko's elected leadership. A deeper concern is that Putin may be planning to grab more territory from the former Soviet satellite following Russia's annexation of Crimea earlier this year.
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Russia says new sanctions will harm relations with Washington
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Expanded sanctions target Russian banks, arms industry, oil development
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EU joins Obama after initially balking due to economic concerns
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Another possible option: take the 2018 soccer World Cup from Russia
U.S., @placeholder hit Russia with more sanctions as Ukraine fighting continues
To the U.S. officials, the sanctions announced Tuesday are "the most significant tool we have to shape @placeholder decision-making."
"This is a choice that @placeholder and President Putin in particular has made."