Obama Increases Sanctions Against Russia: This ‘Is Not a New Cold War’

During a press conference in which he announced stricter sanctions against Russia, Barack Obama was asked if the United States was sliding into a renewed Cold War.

“No, this is not a new Cold War,” he stated. “What it is, is a specific issue related to Russia’s unwillingness to recognize that Ukraine can chart its own path. I think that if you listen to [Ukrainian President Petro] Poroshenko, if you’ve listened to the Ukrainian people, they’ve consistently said they seek good relations with Russia.”

Today’s sanctions include restrictions on Russian finance, weapons, and energy industries, and follows months of heightened sanctions placed on Russia by America and the rest of Europe.

Obama added that Russia’s current actions, particularly their arming of separatists in Eastern Ukraine, has not helped the situation. “The sooner that Russia recognizes that the best chance for them to have influence inside of Ukraine is by being good neighbors…the sooner we can resolve this crisis in ways that doesn’t result in the tragic loss of life that we’ve seen in Eastern Ukraine.”

Watch below via Fox:

[Image via screenshot]

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