--- title: Ukraine: U.S. Threatens Further Sanctions Against Russian Officials description: The U.S. issued heavy threats of imposing further sanctions against Moscow if the Kremlin did not restrain pro-Russian forces in Ukraine canonical: https://time.com/71403/us-warns-russia-over-ukraine/ author: David Stout article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-04-22T07:25:58.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-03-30T11:30:25.263Z article:section: Politics og:title: Ukraine: U.S. Threatens Further Sanctions Against Russian Officials og:description: The U.S. issued heavy threats of imposing further sanctions against Moscow if the Kremlin did not restrain pro-Russian forces in Ukraine og:url: https://time.com/71403/us-warns-russia-over-ukraine/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt372a8b2db21c2499/69868bcd810bbb2f6fc912d2/vladimir-putin4.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3777 og:image:height: 2125 og:image:alt: RUSSIA-UKRAINE-POLITICS-CRISIS-CRIMEAN-TATARS og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Ukraine: U.S. Threatens Further Sanctions Against Russian Officials twitter:description: The U.S. issued heavy threats of imposing further sanctions against Moscow if the Kremlin did not restrain pro-Russian forces in Ukraine twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt372a8b2db21c2499/69868bcd810bbb2f6fc912d2/vladimir-putin4.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Biden Urges Ukraine to Fight 'Cancer of Corruption' > Sponsored content. 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It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=820cbafb-bcc7-4e98-9ee2-5d017fee0d75&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Monday to Saturday (3x per week) | TIME, August 2026 | | Subscribers | 85,000 | TIME, August 2026 | | Open rate | 37.0% | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Philip Elliott, Senior Correspondent | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership The policy influence ecosystem. A policy-focused audience spanning government, public affairs, advocacy, law, research, political media, and the institutions that make, interpret and respond to public policy. ### TIME D.C. Brief: key statements * D.C. 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Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. It reaches 85,000 subscribers with a 37.0% open rate as of August 2026. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. by [David Stout](https://time.com/author/david-stout/) and [Denver Nicks](https://time.com/author/denver-nicks/) Apr 22, 2014 7:25 AM UTC  President Vladimir Putin at a meeting of the State Council at the Kremlin in Moscow, on April 21, 2014. President Vladimir Putin at a meeting of the State Council at the Kremlin in Moscow, on April 21, 2014.Alexey Druzhinin—RIA-NOVOSTI/AFP/Getty Images by [David Stout](https://time.com/author/david-stout/) and [Denver Nicks](https://time.com/author/denver-nicks/) Apr 22, 2014 7:25 AM UTC _Updated at 7:15 a.m. EST_ Vice President Joe Biden in a visit to Kiev urged policymakers Tuesday to remove the “cancer of corruption” from Ukrainian society as the White House warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that time is running short for Moscow to rein in pro-Russian separatists in accordance with an agreement struck last week. “The opportunity to generate a united Ukraine, getting it right, is within your grasp. And we want to be your partner and friend in the project. We want to assist,” Biden said. “You have to fight the cancer of corruption that is endemic in your system right now,” Biden said in a meeting with nine members of the Rada, Ukraine’s parliament. He urged the legislators to enact meaningful constitutional reforms and offered Washington’s assistance as the country prepares for national elections on May 25\. Biden [met](http://time.com/71450/biden-meets-acting-ukrainian-president-in-kiev/) earlier in the day with Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov to discuss economic and technical assistance amid the ongoing crisis sparked by last month’s occupation and annexation of Crimea. He landed in Kiev on Monday. In a briefing in Washington on Monday, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said Moscow could face further sanctions if it doesn’t pull back Kremlin-backed insurgents occupying government buildings throughout the country’s restive east. “If there is not progress within days, we remain prepared, along with our European and G-7 partners, to impose additional costs on Russia for its destabilizing actions,” he [said](http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/04/21/press-briefing-press-secretary-jay-carney-42114). During a question-and-answer [session](https://twitter.com/statedeptspox) on Twitter, U.S. State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki appeared to up the ante when she conceded that the U.S. government would consider levying further sanctions against the Russian leadership, including measures targeting Putin personally, if efforts to de-escalate the crisis in Ukraine failed. “Yes. \[Important\] to lay out consequences. U.S. able to sanction people, companies, and sectors. Goal not sanctions. Goal de-escalation,” tweeted Psaki. “Range of officials under consideration. Plenty to sanction before we would discuss President #Putin.” According to [the deal reached in Switzerland](http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/joint-geneva-statement-on-ukraine-from-april-17-the-full-text/2014/04/17/89bd0ac2-c654-11e3-9f37-7ce307c56815%5Fstory.html) on Friday between the U.S., Russia, the E.U. and Ukraine, “all illegal armed groups must be disarmed, all illegally seized buildings must be returned to legitimate owners.” In the four days since, pro-Russian forces have shown few signs of acknowledging the Geneva agreement. While many of the protesters camped out at government buildings throughout eastern Ukraine are locals, analysts and the U.S. government increasingly agree they are being supported by [Russian special forces](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/21/world/europe/photos-link-masked-men-in-east-ukraine-to-russia.html?rref=world/europe&module=Ribbon&version=context®ion=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Europe&pgtype=article). In Moscow on Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov dismissed the use of ultimatums by U.S. officials and accused Washington of colluding with fascist elements in Ukraine. “Before giving us ultimatums, demanding that we fulfill demands within two or three days with the threat of sanctions, we would urgently call on our American partners to fully accept responsibility for those who they brought to power,” said Lavrov, according to [Russia Today](http://rt.com/news/us-responsibility-kiev-lavrov-788/). Tensions in eastern Ukraine remain high in the wake of a deadly shoot-out in Slavyansk on Sunday night between progovernment and separatist forces. Reports also surfaced that separatist groups had [detained ](http://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2014/04/21/gunmen-detain-3-journalists-in-eastern-ukraine)at least three foreign journalists in the city on Monday. _This article was updated with comments from Vice President Joe Biden in Kiev._ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/71403/us-warns-russia-over-ukraine/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/71403/us-warns-russia-over-ukraine/"},"headline":"Biden Urges Ukraine to Fight 'Cancer of Corruption'","datePublished":"2014-04-22T07:25:58.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-30T11:30:25.263Z","description":"Vice President Joe Biden urges Ukraine to become a partner for peace while on visit to Kiev, as the White House issues heavy threats of imposing further sanctions against Moscow if the Kremlin does not do more to bring pro-Russian forces to heel","url":"https://time.com/71403/us-warns-russia-over-ukraine/","keywords":["europe","Ukraine","russia","Vladimir Putin","John F. 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