OTTAWA, March 18 (UPI) -- The Canadian government imposed more sanctions and travel bans against 10 Russians and Ukrainians following Sunday's vote in Crimea to secede from Ukraine.
Also, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the Group of Eight suspended Russia's participation in its meetings.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the economic sanctions and travel restrictions would target senior officials in Russia and in Ukraine, "in Crimea, specifically," the CBC reported.
The list includes Dmitry Olegovich Rogozin, Russia's deputy prime minister, and aides to Russian President Vladimir Putin and other key members of the Russian government. Sanctions also were imposed against Crimean officials, including Prime Minister Serhiy Valeriyovich Aksyonov.
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Following Sunday's vote to secede from Ukraine and rejoin Russia, Crimean leaders and Putin signed a treaty that reunifies the peninsula with Russia.
Leaders of Crimea and Russia have refused to recognize the new government in Kiev that came to power after the ouster of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych last month. Crimea declared its independence and said it would seek reunification with Russia, which sent thousands of troops to the peninsula, despite Putin's denials. Yanukovych, who maintains he's Ukraine's legitimate leader, surfaced in Russia soon after he was ousted.
The United States and the European Union imposed sanctions Monday on senior Russian officials, including visa bans and asset freezes, to protest Russian involvement in Crimea. Russian officials had said the Kremlin would consider reciprocal actions.
"It's my strong belief that we must keep the pressure on and we must continue to maintain sanctions and maintain putting in place strong steps to dissuade this behavior," Harper said.
Harper is to travel to Ukraine Saturday to meet with Acting Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, CBC said.
On Monday, the United States and the European Union imposed sanctions on senior Russian officials after the referendum in Crimea, which Western leaders have decried as illegal and illegitimate.
RIA Novosti reported that France is considering canceling a $1.9 billion deal to deliver two Mistral-class warships to the Russian Navy.
Fabius said the Group of Eight suspended Russia's participation in their meetings but President Vladimir Putin was still invited to visit France June 6 for the 70th anniversary of the Allied Forces landing in Normandy, Russia's government-backed RT reported.
Earlier in March, the Group of Seven leading industrialized countries said it was suspending participation in the planning for an international summit in Sochi, Russia.
"At the moment, he is still invited [to the anniversary celebration]," Fabius said. "As for the G8 as a political formation for the dialogue of all big states together, we have decided to suspend the participation of Russia, there will be seven countries that gather [for the summit] -- without Russia," Fabius told Europe 1 radio.
Putin and other Russian leaders have said sanctions against Russia would be met with similar, reciprocal action.
