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SEOUL -- President Obama conceded Friday that sanctions on Russia may not force President Vladimir Putin to alter his decisions on Ukraine, but he then offered a spirited defense of how they might still influence a leader he said is not a stupid man.

Putin surely realizes that sanctions have hurt the Russian economy, Obama said, and knows there is much more pain ahead if he doesnt live up to his pledge to ease tensions in Ukraine, where Russian-speaking people in the eastern regions continue to challenge Kievs authority.

President Putin is not a stupid man," Obama said. Is he willing to see the Russian economy ... weakened further because he is unwilling to deal with Ukraine in a diplomatic fashion that respects their sovereignty?

Despite signs of Russias role in the ongoing turmoil in Ukraine, Obama said, the international community shouldnt make the choice easy for him.

The remarks, delivered during a news conference here, reflect Obamas belief that Putin is a rational leader who will curb his behavior if it makes sense for him to do so.

But as the days telephone diplomacy revealed, raising the stakes for Russia will be no light matter for Obama and European allies. Germany and Italy are particularly concerned about the potential impact on their own economies if they expand the sanctions already in place.

Although Obamas weeklong trip to Asia is aimed in part at conveying the theme of U.S. military readiness in the region, his explicit message throughout has been about using diplomatic tools to respond to threats from Russia, China and North Korea.

In talks with Japanese and South Korean leaders, Obama counseled a policy of peaceful conversation about territorial disputes. In the wake of news that Israel will pull out of U.S.-brokered peace talks with the Palestinians, Obama said he isnt yet ready to throw in the towel.

In Seoul, the concern about the nuclear threat is urgent, given the volatility of the North Korean regime and its spring season of missile testing.

After a series of meetings with Obama on Friday, South Korean President Park Geun-hye told reporters she was confident of the U.S. commitment to deterrence. For his part, in the joint news conference that followed their private session, Obama emphasized the power of sanctions.

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Obama counsels diplomacy in dealing with Russia, China, North Korea

Less than an hour after arriving in South Korea, President Barack Obama solemnly laid a wreath at a memorial honoring Americans killed in the Korean War. On Saturday, he'll speak to some of the 28,000 American service members stationed here and hold a rare joint security briefing with South Korea's president.

Obama's itinerary is aimed at showcasing the U.S. military's deep ties to the region at a time when Asia is warily watching China's growing military prowess and North Korea's unpredictable nuclear efforts.

"Obviously we come here at a time when there has been provocative language from North Korea, and it's important for us to show complete solidarity with our ally, the Republic of Korea, in standing up to those provocations," said Ben Rhodes, Obama's deputy national security adviser.

Obama arrived in South Korea on Friday, the second stop on his four-country swing through Asia. After events in Seoul on Saturday, the president will travel to Malaysia, where he'll attend a dinner with the royal family.

Even as Obama pressed his security agenda in South Korea, he paid tribute to victims from last week's ferry disaster. The vast majority of the 300 dead or missing were students from a single high school near Seoul.

The president also has had to attend to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, as a fragile accord with Russia aimed at stemming tensions appears to have crumbled. Obama spoke by telephone with European leaders to discuss the possibility of deepening economic sanctions on Russia, though it appeared unlikely that new penalties would be imposed on Friday.

Despite the distractions of other issues, the president's core mission in Seoul is to underscore the U.S. commitment to the security of South Korea and other allies during a period of uncertainty in the region. While the U.S. has long been the most powerful military influence in the Asia-Pacific region, Pentagon spending is being slashed at the same time China has been boosting its defense budget.

Beijing still lags far behind the U.S. in both military funding and technology. But its spending boom is attracting new scrutiny at a time of severe cuts in U.S. defense budgets that have some questioning Washington's commitments to its Asian allies, including some who have lingering disputes with China.

At the same time, the U.S. military is seeking to redirect resources to the Asia-Pacific as it draws down its commitment in Afghanistan, though there is concern that budget cuts could threaten plans to base 60 percent of U.S. naval assets in the region. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert recently warned that U.S. capabilities to project power "would not stay ahead" of potential adversaries, given the fiscal restraints.

The U.S. military continues to have a robust presence in South Korea, in part to serve as a deterrent to the North. Obama on Friday declared the alliance between the U.S. and South Korea "a linchpin of security in Asia."

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Obama: May Be Time for More North Korea Sanctions

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