Obama, Merkel support further sanctions against Russia

The US President and Germany's Chancellor want new sanctions to be imposed against Russia.

It is said in the White House's press release. Obama and Merkel had a telephone conversation yesterday, on August 28, LIGABusinessInform says.

“The two leaders are very concerned about reports of additional Russian forces in Ukraine. In view of these developments, both agreed that it will be necessary for the United States and the European Union to consider additional sanctions on Russia,” the press release reads.

The two leaders reiterated their determination to continue to work for a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

According to the German government's spokesman Steffen Seibert, the Chancellor of Germany noted in the conversation with Obama that Russia's actions in eastern Ukraine would not remain without consequences. Merkel confirmed the European Council would consider the problem of the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, Deutsche Welle reports.

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko addressed the nation yesterday over the escalation of the situation in the Donetsk region and said Russian troops were “actually brought into Ukraine”.

The town of Novoazovsk in the Donetsk region and a number of towns in Novoazovsk, Starobesheve and Amvrosiivka districts were reported to have been seized by Russian troops.

Ukraine called to hold an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council and the OSCE due to the situation in the Donbas region.