U.S. to consider sanctions against Ukrainian PresidentNovember 30, 2013 - 14:13 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The U.S. government will have to consider sanctions against Ukraine’s leadership after a petition to the cause gathered 100,000 signatures on White House’s website, according to RIA Novosti. The petition asks to ban U.S. and EU entry for and freeze assets of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and members of his government, as well as their families. The proposal was prompted by Yanukovych’s decision not to sign an association agreement with the EU this week. “Yanukovych and his government deny the right of the people of Ukraine to become closer to the Western civilization,” said the petition, which was launched on Tuesday and gathered 100,000 signatures by early Saturday. President Barack Obama’s administration has not commented on the petition as of Saturday, Nov 30 morning. The U.S. government is legally required to review online petitions with more than 100,000 signatures, though not to adopt their proposals. U.S. authorities have blacklisted earlier this year a number of Russian officials implicated in rights violations, though no Cabinet members were on the list. A string of street protests against Yanukovych’s decision took place across Ukraine over the past week.Local police forcibly broke up a permanent rally by EU supporters in downtown Kyiv on early Saturday. Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Government reveals details from Pashinyan’s meeting in border village Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a group of residents of a border village in Armenia’s northern Tavush province Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. |