TOKYO, April 28. /ITAR-TASS/. The US will announce a new package of sanctions against Russian individuals and companies in the course of the day, US President Barack Obama stated in Manila, where he is currently on an official visit.

He added that the new sanctions are in response to “Russia's failure to uphold an international accord aimed at stemming the crisis in Ukraine”. Obama noted that the sanctions would be aimed at Russian citizens and companies. The sanctions would also affect the export of hi-tech commodities to Russia, the American leader said.

Washington will announce the details later on Monday.

What US sanctions against Russia are already in effect

The USA imposed sanctions against Russia in response to its stance over Crimea’s status. March 17, the USA announced a black list including 11 Russian and Ukrainian officials. In March and April, the list has been expanded several times. To date, the list includes several dozens of people, who, as US authorities believe, undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In addition, the USA has suspended cooperation with Russia in the field of combating drug trafficking and in the space industry (except for the International Space Station project), and introduced restrictions for supplying military and double-purpose products to Russia.

Who supports sanctions against Russia

Seven leading industrialized states threatened Russia with further sanctions with regard to the situation around Ukraine. This says a G7 statement issued by the White House April 25.

Governments of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Great Britain and USA, as well as the European Union and the European Commission warned that they would not hesitate to impose additional sanctions against Russia.

The authors of the statement believe that “Russia is not taking any concrete steps to support the Geneva agreement” and “does not condemn separatists seeking to destabilize the situation in Ukraine”. Moscow is also accused of holding “threatening military drills near the Ukrainian border”.

The EU Council plans to adopt a regulation on expanding the black list for Russia until Monday evening. The list, which includes so far 33 names, may be completed by another 10-15 names of Russian officials and defense agencies’ representatives. All of them are banned entry to EU countries, and possible assets on EU territory are frozen.

Ambassadors of 28 members states of the EU also plan to discuss trade and economic sanctions against Russia. However, as a diplomatic source told ITAR-TASS earlier, there is no unity among the EU states on the appropriate economic measures against Russia, nor is there any consensus on the necessity to introduce them.

Who is against anti-Russian sanctions

Representatives of the Social-Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), which is in the ruling coalition, believe that the possible introduction of further sanctions against Russia would not be an effective instrument in settling the Ukrainian crisis.

Thus, Deputy Head of SPD faction in the Bundestag Axel Schäfer stated in an interview for Reinische Post newspaper that sanctions would hardly have any significance other than symbolic. “Instead of this, we should make even more diplomatic efforts and use every opportunity for dialogue with Russia,” the politician believes. A similar point of view expressed the SPD factions’ representative for military issues Reiner Arnold. “I don’t think that sanctions against specific people in Russia would have a positive effect on the overall situation (in Ukraine),” he pointed out.

The politician says that neither the increased NATO activity on eastern borders would yield any result. Schäfer specified that federalization supporters in Ukraine “are by no means impressed by military exercises of 500 NATO servicemen in Poland”.

German Minister of Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who also represents SPD, has repeatedly pointed earlier to the necessity to seek for diplomatic ways of resolving the crisis in Ukraine. In particular, he called for holding “round tables” with participation of Kiev authorities and federalization supporters. In addition, the minister believes that representatives of Russia, USA, EU and Ukraine should in a four-party format “make joint trips to the country’s west and east” to hold a direct dialogue with the parties of the conflict.

German experts share the view that possible economic sanctions would have a negative impact primarily on German economy itself. Trade volume between Germany and Russia in 2013 amounted to €76 billion, about 6,000 Germany-based enterprises are making business with Russian companies, and the total volume of their investments makes €20 billion. About 3,000 jobs in Germany depend on economic relations with Russia.