WASHINGTON — The United States and Europe are mulling additional economic sanctions on the Bashar al-Assad regime and on Russia for its role supporting the Syrian regime's assault on rebel-held eastern Aleppo, as the prospect of direct US military action to coerce an end to the bombardment recedes.
“Let me make it clear: We are considering additional sanctions,” Secretary of State John Kerry said at a news conference in London Oct. 16. “President [Barack] Obama has not taken any options off the table at this point in time. So we’ll see where we are in the next few days in the context of the discussions we’re having.”