Obama says borders should not be redrawn by force

Obama says borders should not be redrawn by force

WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday announced additional sanctions against high-ranking Russian officials, individuals, and banks.

"These sanctions would not only have a significant impact on the Russian economy, but could also be disruptive to the global economy," he said, announcing the measures, and added:

"However, Russia must now that further escalation will only isolate it further from the international community."

Obama then said that nations must not redraw borders just because they are bigger and more powerful, and referred to Sunday's referendum in Crimea, where people overwhelmingly voted to join Russia, as "illegal," and to the territory's admission to the Russian Federation as "annexation."

"These are all choices that the Russian government has made, choices that have been rejected by the international community as well as the government of Ukraine. And because of these choices the United States is today moving, as we said we would, to impose additional costs on Russia," he said.