sanctions

The US president added that he would also speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin "soon", as well as signalling that his administration was ready to move to a second phase of sanctions on Moscow.

Civil war-era sanctions all but isolated Syrian banks from the global financial system.

Several thousand people are taking part in a Palestine solidarity protest in Belfast demanding sanctions against Israel.

However, speaking to members of Congress, he insisted he was not calling for sanctions but instead wanted American companies and politicians to have "honest conversations" with the UK about free speech.

China is still negotiating a deal with the US that would stave off crippling tariffs and possible sanctions for buying Russian crude.