Putin: Sanctions Could Cause 'Serious Damage'
The Russian President says the fresh wave of sanctions will harm US business interests and the American people.
新闻背景：
美国政府宣布对俄罗斯实施迄今范围最大的一次制裁，目标为Gazprombank和Rosneft Oil等重量级公司，以及其他主要银行、能源和国防企业。奥巴马对俄罗斯的措辞一如既往地强硬，指责俄罗斯“支持乌克兰的‘分离主义分子’，仍没有采取减缓乌克兰危机的任何行动”。奥巴马政府高级官员随后表示，如果情况许可，美国有能力扩大对俄制裁范围，增加制裁名单。
俄罗斯总统普京在出席金砖峰会期间向媒体表示：“制裁只会产生适得其反的效果，毫无疑问，这将使美俄关系走入死胡同并造成严重伤害，他确信制裁会损害美国在俄罗斯的长远国家利益。”
分析认为，美国对俄罗斯采取新一轮制裁后，预料俄罗斯方面势必有“理智和实用主义”的应对措施，或可继续与美国展开新一轮“制裁战”，或可在乌克兰问题上有新动作。总之，俄罗斯可打的牌仍然比美国多，而美国除了打"制裁牌"，没有其他更强硬的选择，这样下去恐怕难逃“无牌可打”的尴尬境地。
乌克兰总统办公厅副主任瓦列里?恰雷表示，乌克兰正在研究与俄罗斯断绝外交关系的可能性。

On top of the sanctions we have already imposed, we are therefore designating selected sectors of Russian economy as eligible for sanctions. We are freezing the assets of several Russian defence companies and we are blocking new financing of some of Russia's most important banks and energy companies. These sanctions are significant but they are also targeted, designed to have the maximum impact on Russia while limiting any spill-over effects on American companies or those of our allies. Meanwhile we are going to continue to stand with the Ukraine people as they seek to determine their own future. Even in the midst of this crisis, they have made remarkable progress. These past few months, t hey held democratic elections, they elected a new president, they are pursuing important reforms and they signed a new association agreement with the European Union, and the United States will continue to offer our strong support to Ukraine, to help stabilize its economy and defend its territorial integrity.