<blockquote>'A year after Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea on March 17, State spokesperson Jen Psaki said there are no plans on lifting the sanctions that began because of the Kremlin land grab.
..
Crimea was an autonomous region of Ukraine. Its leaders voted to secede in March and took the vote to the Crimean population on March 16, where they voted to join Russia. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said the vote violates Ukraine’s constitution and is therefore illegal.'
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U.S. Basically Says Russia Sanctions Will Go On Forever, March 16, 2015</blockquote>
'In Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel held talks with Ukraine's visiting President Petro Poroshenko. She later said the European Union was prepared to consider more sanctions against Moscow for its support of pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine, if all else fails. She also said her government remains committed to returning Crimea to Ukraine.'<blockquote>'The United States and Germany have vowed to continue punishing Russia with economic sanctions for its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, and warned of new measures if Moscow fails to fully back a cease-fire it endorsed last month.
In Washington Monday, the U.S. State Department accused Moscow of carrying out a "sham referendum" in Crimea last year, ahead of a vote in the Russian parliament to annex the peninsula. Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the vote was "not voluntary, transparent or democratic." She also said U.S. sanctions will continue as long "as long as the occupation continues."
In Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel held talks with Ukraine's visiting President Petro Poroshenko. She later said the European Union was prepared to consider more sanctions against Moscow for its support of pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine, if all else fails. She also said her government remains committed to returning Crimea to Ukraine.'
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US, Germany Vow New Sanctions if Moscow Fails to Honor Ukraine Cease-Fire, March 16, 2015</blockquote>
Context<blockquote>
'..Russia .. is a typical petrostate with a short-term horizon..' - Maria Snegovaya'..a "virtual mafia state"..' - '..Russia has become an outright dictatorship..''..more sanctions should Russia fail..'</blockquote>