U.S. Blames Pro-Putin Rebels for Missile Attack on Malaysia Airlines Jet in Ukraine — #MH17

At the Wall Street Journal, "West Accuses Ukrainian Separatists of Firing Missile That Downed Plane; Obama Faults Putin for Support":

WASHINGTON—The U.S. and its allies accused Russian-aided separatists of firing the missile that downed Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, killing 298 people, including a dual Dutch-American citizen, and demanded that Moscow end months of unrest in eastern Ukraine.

President Barack Obama, faulting Russian President Vladimir Putin's support for separatists, called on Friday for "an immediate cease-fire" in eastern Ukraine to allow for a thorough investigation of the crash by international authorities.

"It is not possible for these separatists to function the way they're functioning... without sophisticated equipment and sophisticated training—and that is coming from Russia," Mr. Obama said at a White House news conference.

At the crash site in a separatist-controlled part of eastern Ukraine, pro-Russia rebels fired briefly into the air before allowing the first international observers very limited access to the vast field of destruction.

Ukrainian officials have released what they say was evidence that the jetliner was shot down by separatists, including video of an antiaircraft system purportedly being moved, and intercepted phone calls said to be between separatists and Russian advisers. U.S. officials said they are examining some of the evidence offered by Ukraine.

Mr. Obama said Moscow would face new economic sanctions unless it backed a cease-fire and international probe of the crash site. His remarks came amid new indications that Europe, jolted by the tragedy, may be readying an expansion of sanctions as early as next week.

"This is a platform that gives us a lot of leeway to act on a new level," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said, referring to a new framework for potential sanctions adopted by the European Union earlier this week.

Earlier Friday, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, presented evidence of Russian aid to pro-Russia separatists.

Together, the developments pointed to a renewed, U.S.-led campaign against Moscow that puts Mr. Putin on notice that he is facing world-wide grief and anger over the crash and now must swiftly move to stabilize eastern Ukraine.

"If Mr. Putin makes a decision that we are not going to allow heavy armaments and the flow of fighters into Ukraine across the Ukrainian-Russian border, then it will stop," Mr. Obama said...

More.

Obama's full statement here, "The President Makes a Statement on Ukraine."