WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday said he would speak with other leaders from the Group of Seven advanced economies this week about potential additional sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine.
“We’re always open to additional sanctions,” Biden told reporters, when asked about U.S. plans after the European Union proposed its toughest sanctions yet against Russia on Wednesday, including a phased oil embargo.
“I’ll be speaking with the members of the G7 this week about what we’re going to do or not do,” Biden added.
Russia has intensified its offensive in eastern Ukraine, Ukraine’s defense ministry said on Wednesday, nearly 10 weeks into a war that has killed thousands of people, uprooted millions and flattened Ukrainian cities.
Russia also stepped up strikes on targets in western Ukraine, saying it was disrupting Western arms deliveries, and close Russian ally Belarus announced large-scale army drills.
New measures announced by the EU include sanctions against Russia’s top bank and a ban on Russian broadcasters from European airwaves, as well as the embargo on crude oil in six months.
(Reporting by Jeff Mason, writing by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
