The Guardian :US president Barack Obama and German chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday warned Russia that sanctions targeting whole sections of the country’s economy would be inevitable unless Moscow de-escalates the situation in Ukraine before elections later this month.Appearing together at the White House, Obama and Merkel insisted they were united in their determination to use broad, so-called “sectoral sanctions” against Russia unless it reverses course in Ukraine by the elections on May 25.However, in remarks likely to reassure Berlin, which is particularly dependent upon Russian gas exports, Obama played down the suggestion those sanctions would include sweeping restrictions on Russia’s sale of energy to Europe.”Energy flows from Russia to Europe, those continued even in the midst of the cold war – at the the height of the cold war,” Obama said. “The idea that you’re going to turn off the tap to all Russian oil and natural gas exports is, I think, unrealistic.”Obama said there was “a remarkable unity between the United States and the European Union” about how to use leverage against Russian president Vladimir Putin over his continued interference in Ukraine.European countries disagree over what form additional sanctions against Russia should take. “We have to take those [differences] into account,” Obama added. “Not every country is going to be in exactly the same place.”However, if Russia impedes Ukraine’s forthcoming elections, Obama said, “we will not have a choice but to move forward with additional, more severe sanctions.”
