ELMAU, Germany (AP) – President Barack Obama was huddling with allies Monday 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.
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 aggressive moves on Ukraine, an upcoming nuclear deadline with Iran, tenuous trade pact politics and an impasse over Greece’s international bailout.
Obama planned to meet privately with French President Francois Hollande, a sometimes skeptical partner in the talks with Iran over its nuclear weapons program, and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi as he struggles against an increasing threat from Islamic State militants. Abadi, who has called for more help from the U.S. and its partners to confront the militants, also planned to address G-7 leaders during a closed session focused on terrorism.
Obama spokesman Josh Earnest said Obama 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.”