Military solution not in plans to counter Russian moves in Ukraine

President Obama, stating he was not going to expand an air campaign against Islamist militants to Syria, refused to give in to demands for the U.S. to use quick action in two foreign crises.  He rejected claims that Russia’s military maneuvers into Ukraine were an attempt of invasion.

According to Los Angeles Times, Obama ruled out U.S. military action and felt that the Kremlin’s moves as a continuation of a pattern rather than a new phase in the struggle between pro-Russia separatists and Ukraine’s government.

“We are not taking military action to solve the Ukrainian problem,” the President said. “It is very important to understand that a military solution to this problem is not going to be forthcoming.”

Obama also said U.S. officials need to strategize and build a collaboration between regional governments and Sunni Muslim leaders before there is any discuss to expand U.S. military roles.

“We don’t have a strategy yet,” he said. “Folks are getting a little further ahead of where we’re at than where we currently are.”

White House aides reiterated the comment, saying the president was referring only to one part of the approach to take on the militants.

“Other parts of the president’s statement explicitly discussed the strategy against ISIL,” a White House official said.

“He’s just saying he hasn’t decided to take military action yet, which is what we’ve been saying for days,” added the aide, who requested anonymity.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Russian troop movements elicited strong disapprovals from NATO and European government officials. British Prime Minister David Cameron stated they were unacceptable.

The U.S. envoy to the United Nations, Samantha Power, described the offensive to the U.N. Security Council as a “threat to the international order.”

Obama’s goal is to apply increased economic pressure on Russia so that the damaging effect on its economy will force President Vladimir Putin to consent to a negotiated solution.

U.S. and European imposed sanctions have already made an impact on Russia, and it could grow worse for the country with harder penalties on banks, transportation sectors and the mining industry.

“I would expect them to start getting out the Iran playbook,” said Cliff Kupchan, a former State Department official.  Such harsh penalties imposed on Russia could cut it off from much of the world trade market.