INTERNATIONAL: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with the foreign ministers of Britain, France, Germany and Italy in Brussels on Wednesday (April 6) as the world's wealthy democratic powers prepare to roll out a new round of sanctions against Russia in response to horrifying images of executed Ukrainians in the city of Bucha.

The European Union is set to take a first stab at Russia's energy sector in response to its invasion of Ukraine launched in February, banning imports of Russian coal. But EU countries remain divided over whether and how to restrict Russia's gas and oil sectors that are more critical to their economies.

The United States has been pushing European allies to inflict more pain on Russia while trying to make sure that the alliance against President Vladimir Putin does not fray, a balance that only gets tougher.

The United States and Group of Seven allies also are preparing new sanctions on Russian financial institutions, state-owned enterprises and more Russian government officials and their family members. In addition, they plan to ban new investment in Russia, and the United States has banned Moscow from paying sovereign debt holders with money in U.S. banks.

The moves may increase economic hardship for Russians but may not put much of a dent in Russia's energy revenues, the lifeblood of its economy, according to U.S. sanctions analysts.