US raises Ukraine pressure on Russia

The US has threatened tougher economic sanctions if Russia fails to abide by a new international agreement to help de-escalate the crisis in Ukraine. The Kremlin responded by accusing the White House of treating Moscow like a "guilty schoolboy" over the deal. Meanwhile, Ukraine's foreign minister said "anti-terrorist" operations in the east would be put on hold over Easter. Pro-Russian separatists in several cities are refusing to leave buildings, defying a key term of the accord. Russia, Ukraine, the EU and US had agreed during talks in Geneva that illegal military groups in Ukraine must be dissolved, and that those occupying government premises must be disarmed and leave. The sides also decided there would be an amnesty for all anti-government protesters, according to BBC.