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WASHINGTON, April 1 (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Minister Liz Truss on Friday discussed additional possible actions to ratchet up their response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. State Department said.
The two also discussed next week’s NATO foreign ministers’ meeting, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.
“The two discussed the upcoming NATO Foreign Ministerial meeting and developing additional possible actions to ratchet up our response to Putin’s continued assault on the Ukrainian people,” Price said.
The United States, UK and allies have imposed several rounds of sanctions targeting Moscow over the five weeks since Russia launched the biggest assault on a European state since World War Two. Moscow calls it a “special operation.”
U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo traveled to London earlier this week as part of a trip to Europe to coordinate sanctions with allies over Russia’s assault on Ukraine and discuss next steps with partners, including targeting critical sectors of the Russian economy.
Adeyemo, speaking in London on Tuesday, warned the United States and its partners plan new sanctions on more sectors of Russia’s economy that are critical to sustaining its invasion of Ukraine, including military supply chains.
He is just one of several U.S. officials that fanned out this week to press world leaders to keep piling pressure on Moscow or join the campaign of sanctions and other measures, as the initial economic shock to Russia seems to be ebbing.
Adeyemo also traveled to Brussels, Paris and Berlin, while deputy national security adviser for international economics, Daleep Singh, pressed Indian officials in New Delhi, and Blinken discussed the Ukraine war with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan in Morocco. (Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Chris Gallagher; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Alistair Bell)
