WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US National Security Advisor Susan Rice discussed the Ukrainian crisis and further steps to solve it during a video conference with her European counterparts, National Security Council Spokesperson Bernadette Meehan said in a statement.
“Rice today spoke with her counterparts from France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom as part of their ongoing consultations about the situation in Ukraine,” Meehan stated on Thursday.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said earlier on Thursday that Rice was to discuss possible further sanctions against Russia with the European counterparts.
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States would be considering further sanctions against Russia in the coming days depending on whether there is progress on the Minsk peace agreements.
During 2014, the United States and its allies imposed several rounds of sanctions targeting Russia's defence, energy and banking sectors, as well as certain individuals, over Moscow's alleged meddling in Ukraine's internal affairs.
Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement in the situation in Ukraine and has stressed that sanctions are counterproductive and hamper efforts to end the Ukrainian conflict.
