Washington believes that the use of sanctions against concrete individuals in Russia due to the crisis in Ukraine could be insufficient, U.S. President Barack Obama said in Seoul on Friday.

He said that targeted sanctions against Russian citizens would not necessarily solve the problem and that other measures could be needed.

He also said that on Friday he planned to discuss with the leaders of European countries the crisis in Ukraine and the possibility of introducing new sanctions against a number of sectors of the Russian economy.

Obama also said that he would be ready to save Russian President Vladimir Putin if he were drowning.

"I absolutely would save Putin if he were drowning," he said.

Obama said he would also like to think that Putin would save him, too.