Thursday, March 20, 2014

Russia responds to new sanctions with bans on US officials

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama says the United States is levying a new round of economic sanctions on individuals in Russia, both inside and outside the government, in retaliation for the Kremlin's actions in Ukraine.

Obama says he has also signed a new executive order that would allow the U.S. to sanction key sectors of the Russian economy.

The new penalties mark the second round of economic sanctions the U.S. has levied on Russia this week. The first round of penalties had little impact in stopping Moscow from annexing the strategically important Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine.

Less than an hour after the president's morning press conference, Russia announced it had imposed entry bans on nine U.S. lawmakers and officials in retaliation.
    
The Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday released the list that includes John Boehner, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Robert Menendez, the head of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, other senators and administration officials.

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