WASHINGTON: US sanctions this week against Russia were carefully crafted in an attempt to target President Vladimir Putin's inner circle without provoking a backlash from Moscow against US businesses, senior US officials said.
Concerns about possible Russian retaliation "helped shape the discussions about appropriate sanctions" within the White House, said a senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity. "There's an awareness that even targeted sanctions can have broad effects."
Obama on Thursday announced assets freezes and bans on US business dealings against 20 Russians and a Russian bank, in response to Putin's annexation of the Crimea from Ukraine.
The measures, notably tougher than those Obama unveiled just three days earlier, have helped spark steep losses for Russian stocks, and Russia's Finance Ministry said it may be forced to cancel plans to borrow abroad this year.
Whether the sanctions will dissuade Putin from further incursions into Ukraine, much less reverse Russia's annexation of Crimea or force him to the negotiating table, is unclear.
Moreover, the careful balance of punishing Russia while shielding US businesses and the global economy will be harder if Obama's administration decides another round of measures is necessary.
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