Putin: Sanctions Could Cause 'Serious Damage'
The Russian President says the fresh wave of sanctions will harm US business interests and the American people.
新聞背景：
美國政府宣布對俄羅斯實施迄今范圍最大的一次制裁，目標為Gazprombank和Rosneft Oil等重量級公司，以及其他主要銀行、能源和國防企業。奧巴馬對俄羅斯的措辭一如既往地強硬，指責俄羅斯“支持烏克蘭的‘分離主義分子’，仍沒有采取減緩烏克蘭危機的任何行動”。奧巴馬政府高級官員隨后表示，如果情況許可，美國有能力擴大對俄制裁范圍，增加制裁名單。
俄羅斯總統普京在出席金磚峰會期間向媒體表示：“制裁只會產生適得其反的效果，毫無疑問，這將使美俄關系走入死胡同并造成嚴重傷害，他確信制裁會損害美國在俄羅斯的長遠國家利益。”
分析認為，美國對俄羅斯采取新一輪制裁后，預料俄羅斯方面勢必有“理智和實用主義”的應對措施，或可繼續與美國展開新一輪“制裁戰”，或可在烏克蘭問題上有新動作。總之，俄羅斯可打的牌仍然比美國多，而美國除了打"制裁牌"，沒有其他更強硬的選擇，這樣下去恐怕難逃“無牌可打”的尷尬境地。
烏克蘭總統辦公廳副主任瓦列里?恰雷表示，烏克蘭正在研究與俄羅斯斷絕外交關系的可能性。

On top of the sanctions we have already imposed, we are therefore designating selected sectors of Russian economy as eligible for sanctions. We are freezing the assets of several Russian defence companies and we are blocking new financing of some of Russia's most important banks and energy companies. These sanctions are significant but they are also targeted, designed to have the maximum impact on Russia while limiting any spill-over effects on American companies or those of our allies. Meanwhile we are going to continue to stand with the Ukraine people as they seek to determine their own future. Even in the midst of this crisis, they have made remarkable progress. These past few months, t hey held democratic elections, they elected a new president, they are pursuing important reforms and they signed a new association agreement with the European Union, and the United States will continue to offer our strong support to Ukraine, to help stabilize its economy and defend its territorial integrity.