US, EU impose another round of sanctions

The United States and the European Union imposed another round of sanctions Monday against Ukrainian and Russian figures for their role in the Ukraine crisis.

Washington has been pressing a notably harder line than its EU allies, many of whom have extensive economic ties with Russia which is a major energy supplier for Europe.

The EU is accordingly reluctant to press ahead with outright economic sanctions, preferring for the moment to stick with asset freezes and visa bans in a 'Phase 2.'

EU leaders have however agreed to take tougher, Phase 3 measures if Russia escalates the situation, such as an outright military intervention by its forces massed on the border with Ukraine.

As pro-Kremlin militias continue to seize government buildings in eastern Ukraine, US and EU authorities decided Monday that Moscow is showing no sign of 'de-escalating' the crisis by living up to the Geneva accord reached April 17 and therefore have imposed further measures.

Here is a summary of the Western sanctions against Russia currently in place:

MILITARY SANCTIONS: On March 3, Washington suspended military cooperation with Russia following its intervention in Crimea, home to a large Russian-speaking population and its Black Sea fleet. On April 1, NATO agreed to suspend "civil and military cooperation" with Russia in response to the annexation of Crimea.

NATO head Anders Fogh Rasmussen said cooperation on Afghanistan and counter drug trafficking operations would not be affected. Members of Russia's Permanent Mission to NATO must now follow standard visitor rules to enter NATO headquarters in Brussels, apart from Russia's NATO ambassador, his deputy and two support staff.

ECONOMIC SANCTIONS: Washington on Monday imposed new sanctions on seven Russian officials and 17 firms linked to President Vladimir Putin's inner circle. It also tightened licensing requirements for certain hi-tech exports to Russia that could have a military use.

The White House said Russia had done nothing to meet the terms of the EU, US, Russia and Ukraine deal agreed in Geneva, meant to rein in pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine.

The first reaction of EU leaders on March 6 was to halt talks on liberalising visa rules with Russia, and on a framework accord meant to outline their wider relationship. Following the March 16 referendum on Crimea joining Russia, the EU and US announced 'Phase 2' sanctions against Russian officials and pro-Russian Ukrainians, including the freezing of assets held in the EU in cash, cheques, bank deposits and stocks. By April 14, these had targeted 55 people, including Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin and other figures close to Putin.

EU members agreed on March 20 to introduce 'Phase 3' sanctions, including on the economy, if Russia took action which deepened the Ukraine crisis. Preparatory work on such steps is under way but EU leaders will need to convene again to approve such a step, with members having received a report on the possible economic impact of such sanctions.

On Monday, diplomatic sources said the EU had agreed to impose sanctions on another 15 Russian and Ukrainian individuals as part of the 'Phase 2' response.

DIPLOMATIC SANCTIONS: At a meeting in The Hague on March 25, Western leaders scuttled the G8 meeting of the world's largest economies, which was to have taken place in the Russian city of Sochi. It will be replaced by a G7 summit -- excluding Russia -- to be held on June 4 and 5 in Brussels.

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