London to host meeting over sanctions on Russia

LONDON - Britain is to host an international meeting on Tuesday to discuss possible sanctions against a list of Russians amid ratcheted-up pressure by Western countries to urge Russia to withdraw its forces in Crimea.

Britain is mulling sanctions on a list of Russians if Russia does not set up a contact group and start dialogues with Ukraine, British Prime Minister David Cameron announced Monday.

Crimea to vote on joining Russia

The announcement came after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia was willing to continue talks with the current Ukrainian authorities and had drawn up proposals for solving the Ukraine crisis within a legislative framework.

"These (sanctions) will include asset freezes and travel bans," Cameron told the British Parliament.

"We are working closely with our American, European and other international partners to prepare a list of names, and these sanctions will be the focus of a meeting here in London tomorrow with key international partners," Cameron said.

The measures of sanctions could come in days, depending on whether Russia sets up the contact group and starts dialogue with Ukraine, he said.

The threatening of sanctions is part of British response to the crisis in Crimea, a Ukrainian autonomous republic, which is scheduled to hold a referendum on its future status on Sunday.