WASHINGTON (AP) — Sanctions aimed at key economic sectors in Russia because of its threatening moves in Ukraine might be delayed because of positive signals from Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to Obama administration officials.

The United States and its European allies were finalizing a package of sanctions with the goal of putting them in place as early as this week, said the officials and others close to the process. Penalizing large swaths of the Russian economy, including its lucrative energy industry, would ratchet up the West’s punishments against Moscow.