West Presses Russia on Ukraine as EU Joins U.S. on Sanctions

The European Union followed the U.S. in intensifying sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle to pressure his government to defuse the global standoff over Ukraine.

EU leaders added 12 names to their list of Russians and Ukrainians punished with asset freezes and travel bans. The bloc acted a day after the U.S. penalized 20 Russian officials and business leaders as having ties to Putin.