BERLIN: The German government said on Wednesday further sanctions against Russia cannot be ruled out after a Moscow court jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

Berlin will discuss further steps with its European partners, Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said at a regular news conference.

The United States, Britain, Germany and the EU have urged Moscow to immediately free Navalny, who has blamed the ruling on President Vladimir Putin's personal hatred and fear of him.