How will Russia respond to new sanctions? Your Say

The U.S. increased sanctions last week on Russia over its incursion into Ukraine. Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar:

I'm not at all sure that it is the best thing for the United States to impose new sanctions on Russia just at this moment.

Whether the sanctions have much effect, Russian President Vladimir Putin will know whom to blame for the awful predicament in which he finds himself.

— Bruce Frier

Russia should diversify its economy. It should also be happy within its own borders. What did Putin expect when he invaded Crimea? That the rest of the world would just wring their collective hands?

— Thomas Carper

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries' plan of flooding the market with oil to bankrupt the competition appears to be working. Unfortunately, the competition also includes small oil drilling companies in the United States.

— Wayne Leslie

The falling oil price has put a crimp on Putin's plans for expansion. Soon he will have an economic collapse to think about instead of the takeover of other countries.

— Frank Elliott

Letter to the editor:

The drop in world- wide oil prices and the decline in the value of the ruble portend drastic action if Russia is to avoid rampant inflation and depression.

More U.S. sanctions aggravate an already perilous economic situation. Wasn't it Germany that suffered through dramatically rising prices as a prelude to war? Could history repeat itself?

Donald M. Flower; Hudson, Ohio