US may slap new sanctions on Russia after Kerch Strait incident

WASHINGTON, Dec 17 (PRIME) -- Washington may introduce new sanctions against Russia due to a recent arrest of Ukrainian ships and sailors in the Kerch Strait, U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker said on Monday at a news briefing in Brussels.

The U.S. is coordinating actions in the wake of the latest twist in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict with Germany, France, and other Western partners, and wants to hear their opinion today, Volker said.

On November 25, three vessels of the Ukrainian Navy crossed Russia’s border in the Black Sea and moved towards the Kerch Strait ignoring demands of the Russian authorities to stop. The Russian border guard arrested the ships, the sailors, as well as two officers of the Security Service of Ukraine that were on board.

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