Obama discusses Mideast, Russia sanctions with allies

PanARMENIAN.Net - U.S. President Barack Obama was huddling with allies Monday, June 8, on the sidelines of an international summit to address pressing Mideast problems while trying to convince European leaders not to waver on sanctions against Russia in the face of fresh violence in Ukraine, the Associated Press reports.

Obama came to the final day of the Group of Seven summit under the strain of an intimidating list of global pressures and little signs of movement to address them among the world's largest industrial democracies. Climate change and terrorism topped the official agenda, but leaders also grappled with Russia's moves on Ukraine, an upcoming nuclear deadline with Iran, tenuous trade pact politics and an impasse over Greece's international bailout.

Obama met privately with French President Francois Hollande, a sometimes skeptical partner in the talks with Iran over its nuclear weapons program. Obama also planned to consult with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi as he struggles against an increasing threat from Islamic State militants. Abadi has called for more help from the U.S. and its partners to confront the militants. He also was scheduled to address G-7 leaders during a closed session focused on terrorism.

Obama spokesman Josh Earnest said the president wants to look for "more efficient ways that we can offer assistance to Iraqi security forces" and he expects that will be part of the discussion among the G-7, which also includes Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan.

Meeting on Sunday with British Prime Minister David Cameron, Obama said he wanted to address the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and "assess what's working, what's not, and how we can continue to make progress there in dismantling the infrastructure that ISIL has built."

On another battlefront, in Ukraine, Earnest said Obama was urging European leaders to renew sanctions against Russia that are set to expire at the end of July. Obama wants the Europeans to leave the financial penalties in place until Moscow complies with the terms of a ceasefire agreement reached four months ago in Belarus. Some of the worst fighting since the cease-fire was agreed to broke out last week in eastern Ukraine.