The US president Barack Obama and several EU country leaders during the videoconference on Ukraine affirmed their readiness to put new sanctions on Russia. According to the statement of the White House Office of the Press Secretary, the new sanctions will enter into force in case February 12 Minsk agreements are violated.
"The leaders expressed their hope for the successful and complete implementation of the Minsk agreements and agreed that the easing of current sanctions would be linked to the full implementation of these agreements. They also affirmed their determination to act quickly and in unison to impose significant additional costs, if serious violations of the Minsk agreements occur or if Russian-backed separatists seek to gain new territory," – is said in the statement.