(VOVworld) – During a telephone conversation on Thursday, US President Barack Obama and Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte agreed to impose more sanctions on Russia for continuing to arm pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine.

Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte speaks at a news conference in The Hague (Photo: Reuters)

The two leaders said Russia still had not taken steps to de-escalate the situation in eastern Ukraine a week after a Malaysian passenger jet was shot down in the war-affected area. The White House said Russia was still arming and supplying weapons to separatists in eastern Ukraine.

On the same day, during a phone talk between President Obama and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, both agreed to carry out a prompt and transparent international investigation on the crash of flight MH17. Meanwhile, the Canadian government has announced economic sanctions and a travel ban on individuals and entities from eastern Ukraine and Russia. The new sanctions are aimed at Russia’s weapon industry and finance and energy sectors.