WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Barack Obama will make a statement on Ukraine before he departs Thursday for a day of events in Florida.
The statement is scheduled for 11 a.m. Eastern time on the South Lawn.
The U.S. imposed sanctions earlier this week against several Russian officials for their role in the crisis in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin annexed the Crimean Peninsula of Ukraine this week after residents there voted overwhelmingly to join Russia. The move came despite warnings by the West that annexation violated international law and would not be recognized by the world.
Obama says Putin acted out of weakness, not strength.
