US are seeking to back away from the sanctions in their round-about way. They list conditions on dropping sanctions against individuals in Russia:
http://itar-tass.com/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/1157668?utm_medium=rss20
They again talk about "de-escalation of situation in Ukraine"
Russian Ministry of Foreign affairs already replied that Russia does not accept the language of ultimatums
But it seems sanctions are having a positive effect. The offshore Bermuda branch of Sberbank decided to close down and pull its capitals back into Russia.
http://lenta.ru/news/2014/04/30/sber/
Microsoft and other IT companies joined the anti-Russian campaign:
http://www.gazeta.ru/business/news/2014/04/30/n_6119681.shtml
Putin: Washington behind Ukraine events all along, though flying low
http://rt.com/news/155732-putin-usa-behind-ukraine-crisis/
Quote
“I think what is happening now shows us who really was mastering the process from the beginning. But in the beginning, the United States preferred to remain in the shadow,” Putin said, as quoted by RIA Novosti.
And on the topic of sanctions:
Quote
"We would very much wish not to resort to any measures in response," he told reporters. "But if something like that continues, we will of course have to think about who is working in the key sectors of the Russian economy, including the energy sector, and how.”
Quote
"Regarding the second package, it's not clear at all what this is linked to, because there is no cause and effect link with what is happening now in Ukraine and Russia," Putin said.
And a fun little sidenote. We all remember how Kerry depicted RT as "propaganda bullhorn":
http://rt.com/news/154760-kerry-attacks-rt-propaganda/
And now US passes new legislation with regard to Voice of America to actually make that channel to comply to the US foreign policy:
http://rt.com/usa/155760-voice-america-reform-support/
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"This legislation makes clear that the Voice of America mission is to support U.S. public diplomacy efforts," a summary of the new bill outlines. "The VOA charter states that VOA will provide a ‘clear and effective presentation of the policies of the United States...Over time, VOA has abandoned this mission."
...
In 1976, President Gerald Ford signed into law VOA’s mission as an "accurate, objective, and comprehensive" news outlet as opposed to an explicit propagandistic venture.
Since then, “employees at the TV and radio broadcaster have insisted on viewing themselves as objective journalists as opposed to instruments” of the US government’s policies abroad, wrote Foreign Policy. And since, on occasion, VOA has highlighted stories that did not reflect well on the United States, US officials have wondered why hundreds of millions of dollars is spent on a project that does not have a more pro-American outlook.
...
In 1976, President Gerald Ford signed into law VOA’s mission as an "accurate, objective, and comprehensive" news outlet as opposed to an explicit propagandistic venture.
Since then, “employees at the TV and radio broadcaster have insisted on viewing themselves as objective journalists as opposed to instruments” of the US government’s policies abroad, wrote Foreign Policy. And since, on occasion, VOA has highlighted stories that did not reflect well on the United States, US officials have wondered why hundreds of millions of dollars is spent on a project that does not have a more pro-American outlook.
