But Republican Senator Marco Rubio, while applauding the new sanctions, voiced hope that Obama, along with European allies, "will also significantly increase our assistance, including military support, to the Ukrainian government."

"Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine cannot go unanswered, and we need to do much more to make clear that we and the rest of the free world stand with the people of Ukraine at this important moment,” Rubio said in a statement.

The new targets for sanctions included VTB, the Bank of Moscow, the Russian Agriculture Bank and the United Shipbuilding Corp., the Treasury Department said.
The sanctions on the three banks prohibit U.S. citizens or companies from dealing with debt carrying maturities longer than 90 days, or with new equity.

Five of the six largest state-owned banks in Russia are now under U.S. sanctions.

Also targeted was United Shipbuilding Corp, a shipbuilding company based in St. Petersburg, in a move that freezes any assets it may hold in the United States and prohibits all U.S. transactions with it.

The Commerce Department classified United Shipbuilding Corp as a defense technology company.

"Obviously, we can't, in the end, make President Putin see more clearly," Obama said. "Ultimately, that's something President Putin has to do on his own." (rt/ez)