A senior U.S. administration official says President Barack Obama could boycott the G8 summit in Sochi scheduled for June if there is military intervention by Russian forces in Ukraine.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it would be difficult to see how Obama and leaders from Britain, France, Italy, and Germany, among the other G8 members, could attend the summit if Russian forces intervene militarily in Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.
The official also said the Obama administration was reconsidering whether to continue talks with Russia on increased trade and economic relations.
The comments came shortly after Obama held a special press meeting at the White House in which he said "there would be costs" for Russia if it intervened militarily in Ukraine.
He did not say what those costs would be.
Obama said the United States was "concerned by reports of military movements" by Russian forces inside Ukraine.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it would be difficult to see how Obama and leaders from Britain, France, Italy, and Germany, among the other G8 members, could attend the summit if Russian forces intervene militarily in Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.
The official also said the Obama administration was reconsidering whether to continue talks with Russia on increased trade and economic relations.
The comments came shortly after Obama held a special press meeting at the White House in which he said "there would be costs" for Russia if it intervened militarily in Ukraine.
He did not say what those costs would be.
Obama said the United States was "concerned by reports of military movements" by Russian forces inside Ukraine.