WASHINGTON D.C.
U.S. President Barack Obama explicitly ruled out military intervention in Ukraine following Russia’s annexation of the strategic Crimean peninsula this week.
“We are not going to be getting into a military excursion in Ukraine,” said Obama while speaking to a San Diego, California television station. "What we are going to do is mobilize all of our diplomatic resources to make sure that we've got a strong international coalition that sends a clear message, which is that Ukraine should decide their destiny."
"There is a better path, but I think even the Ukrainians would acknowledge that for us to engage Russia militarily would not be appropriate and would not be good for Ukraine either," he added.
The U.S. announced Monday that it sanctioned 11 individuals - 7 Russian and 4 Ukrainian - following a referendum in Crimea in which 96.7% of those who voted said they wanted to unite with Russia.
The poll has been met with international criticism over irregularities and the presence of Russian troops in the region.
Obama further stated that Putin “acted out of weakness, not out of strength" in his dealings with Ukraine, saying that the Russian president is “not comfortable” with foreign nations straying away from the Kremlin.
Former pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted from power after three months of anti-government protests.
Obama granted exclusive interviews to six local television stations Wednesday.
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