Merkel Ally Says EU Poised to Ratchet Up Russia Sanctions

The European Union will intensify sanctions on Russia today after President Vladimir Putin failed to respond to EU demands and Ukraine ended a cease-fire with separatists, an ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel said.

Norbert Roettgen, chairman of Germany’s parliamentary foreign affairs committee, told Deutschlandfunk radio that Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko was right to end the cease-fire. Putin and pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine have “squandered” their opportunity for peace, he said.