White House warns Russia on Ukraine, sets no deadline for further sanctions

WASHINGTON – The White House says the U.S. government is still trying to determine who was responsible for Sunday’s deadly shootout in eastern Ukraine and did not specify when Russia would have to meet the terms of a Geneva agreement for containing tensions in the former Soviet state.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said pro-Russian militants in eastern Ukraine must lay down their arms and abandon occupied buildings. He said Russia has influence over Ukrainian separatists and warned Moscow to live up to commitments last week to help stabilize the conflict or risk further sanctions.

Carney offered no timeline that would trigger those sanctions.

He said the U.S. could not independently assess blame for the shootout Sunday that left at least three dead. Russian and Ukrainian officials traded blame for the attack.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.