06/03/2014 13:27
White House Blocks Visas for Some Tied to Ukraine Crisis
The Obama administration said Thursday that it will deny visas to people responsible for “threatening the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” toughening its response to Russia after its invasion of the Crimean peninsula.
President Barack Obama also authorized unspecified additional sanctions against people who it deems have undermined the democratic process in Ukraine or are otherwise involved in destabilizing the country.
The United States has already suspended trade talks and military cooperation with Russia and put on hold its preparation to attend the G-8 summit scheduled for Sochi, Russia, in June.
The announcement from the White House came after the parliament in Crimea deepened the crisis by voting to allow the people of that region to decide whether they want to be part of Ukraine or Russia.
The White House said it would consider further steps if the crisis worsens.