Ukraine Denies Firing Short- Range Ballistic Missiles at pro-Russian Rebel Targets
TAPPER: Welcome back to the LEAD. Continuing in world news. Not to worry, folks. This is not a new cold war, at least not according to President Obama. As he announced new sanctions on Russia was asked the question, new sanctions for the war in Ukraine.</s>BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It didn't have to come to this. It does not have to be this way. This is a choice that Russia and president Putin in particular has made.</s>TAPPER: Meanwhile, U.S. officials tell CNN that the Ukrainian government is now firing short range ballistic missiles at pro-Russian rebel targets. Ukraine denies that saying it would accomplish nothing militarily right now. But the fighting has only gotten worse since MH-17 was shot out of the sky over Ukraine. And the violence is creating a virtual force field around the crash site, the crime scene. Today, for a third day in a row, heavy fighting kept crash investigators from the scene. Let's bring in Marie Harf. She is the deputy spokeswoman for the state department. And Marie, thanks for being here. So, there have been rounds of sanctions against Russia began in March. How will this new round that President Obama announced with regret in this voice, how is this going to be any different and change Putin's calculus at all?</s>MARIE HARF, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN: Well, Jake, we've been very clear over many months that we will continue to increase the pressure on Russia if it does not take steps to de-escalate.</s>TAPPER: And they keep escalating, Marie.</s>HARF: Well, the longer sanctions are in place -- Jake, the tougher and more impact they have. And today, you saw us put additional sanctions on three very key sectors of the Russian economy, arms, finance and energy. And these firms desperately want access to the U.S. financial sector and to the EU financial sector. And look, president Putin has a choice to make. He can either further isolate his country and pay the consequences or he can de-escalate and move it in a different path forward here. So it is as the president said, really up to president Putin make a decision here.</s>TAPPER: All right. Well, I think he's made his decision. But on the subject of trying to get him change his behavior, other Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr is reporting that three U.S. officials confirmed to her that the Ukrainian military, the ones where the United States is allied with, has fired short-range missiles in the last 48 hours against the rebels. Now, the Ukrainian foreign minister has denied it saying it would be useful for them to fire them because of the way the rebels hide their weapons. The first question, what's the truth here? And second question, would Ukraine, the government of Ukraine escalating hurt what the United States is trying to do in terms of Putin and the pro-Russian rebels?</s>HARF: Well Jake, I saw those reports earlier on CNN. And I actually can't confirm them. The Ukrainian foreign minister was actually here at the state department today. I saw his comments. So we're looking into them as we have information one way or another, we'll let folks know. But the broader point here which speaks to your second question is that the reason there is so much instability in Eastern Ukraine is because of these Russian separatists. The Russian are giving them heavy weaponry, they are firing artillery into Ukraine and they continue to arm and train these separatists. There was no instability before Russia supported these separatists and their movement there. So the Ukrainian government has a responsibility to defend its territory and to defend its people.</s>TAPPER: But Marie, is escalating defending its territory or is escalating making things worse so that the pro-Russian rebels and Putin won't back down?</s>HARF: Well, we haven't seen the Ukrainian military escalate things, Jake. And again, I said we're looking into those reports that you mentioned earlier. All we've seen is the Russian side continue to escalate, send more heavy weaponry, send artillery over the border, continue the training even after this horrific civilian airliner was shout done by Russian separatists. So again, President Putin has a real responsibility here to back up his words with actions. We haven't seen him do that. But he has a chance to as you heard the president a today.</s>TAPPER: I'm not coming down on the side of Putin here but doesn't Ukraine have a responsibility as well as to de-escalate things in the east of their country especially if inspectors are trying to get to that crash site?</s>HARF: Well, look. I don't want to equate Ukraine and Russia here in any way. Ukraine is consistently lived up to his obligations. It imposed the cease-fire of 40 kilometers around the crash site which the Russian separatists repeatedly broke. Ukrainians has done everything in its power to get inspectors access here. It's the Russian back the separatists who have done exactly the opposite.</s>TAPPER: Marie Harf at the state department. Thank you for coming in and answering my questions.</s>HARF: Thank you, Jake.</s>TAPPER: When we come back, punishing Putin. Why some are saying the only way to put the Russian president in his place is by taking away his chance to be in the spotlight again at the 2018 world cup. Plus, heart breaking images, children injured or worse, dead in this fighting in Gaza. Come up, the emotional and physical toll this prolonged battle is taking on the youngest and the most innocent victims.