Obama says West is united against Russia

BERLIN President Obama on Wednesday said the Western world is united against Russia’s takeover of Crimea and would impose further sanctions on Moscow if it does not free Crimea from its grip.

“We’re coordinating around the potential for additional, deeper sanctions should Russia move forward and engage in further incursions in Ukraine,” Obama said in remarks in Brussels. “If Russia stays on its current course, the consequences for the Russia economy will continue to grow.”

Obama proposed no new sanctions or threats of military actions to force Russian troops out of Crimea. Those penalties imposed thus far have not altered the actions taken by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In a speech at the Palais des Beaux- Arts in Belgium, Obama rejected Russian claims that it acted to protect Russians, and that the U. S. is trying to control Ukraine’s future to exploit it.

“Neither the United States nor Europe has any interest in controlling Ukraine.” We want “the Ukrainian people to make their own decisions just like other free people in the world,” Obama said.

In dismissing Russia’s reasons for invading Crimea, Obama said there was no evidence of systematic violence against ethnic Russians there. And he said the referendum held last week, which approved of Russia’s takeover, “did not come close” to being a fair representation of the desires of the Crimean people.

Obama called on Russia to enter dialogue to protect Russians in Crimea and allow the people there to be free, saying with time, Russians will see they cannot gain prosperity with “brute force.” Western allies want Russians “to live in security, prosperity and dignity. But that does not mean Russia can run roughshod over its neighbors,” he said.

Obama said additional sanctions can be imposed if Russia refuses to budge in Crimea. He acknowledged that any further sanctions targeting Russia energy exports would also hurt Europe, which depends on Russia for a large amount of its oil and gas. Obama said the United States may be able to help by easing export controls on U. S. natural gas.

The 28 members of the European Union are united, he said shortly before he was to head to Saudi Arabia.

Obama came to Brussels to shore up commitments he received from allies in The Hague, Netherlands, and to reassure Eastern European members of NATO that the alliance will stand by them. Obama also wanted to make a larger point about European security a quarter- century after the fall of the Iron Curtain.