Friday, May 2, 2014

President Obama And German Chancellor Merkel Meet To Discuss Ukraine And Russia



Obama and Merkel Huddle as Russia Crisis Wears On -- NBC

Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany — a pivotal figure in the standoff between Russia and the West — is in Washington for talks with President Barack Obama at a crucial point in the crisis.

When they meet Friday, the two leaders are expected to discuss when to pull the trigger on tougher sanctions against Russia for its aggression in Ukraine, including hitting the economically vital Russian energy industry.

Obama wants the United States and Europe to stand together and force Russia to rethink its moves in Ukraine. That is a trickier proposition for Germany, which would be hit harder by blowback from major sanctions because of its huge economic interests in Russia.

The meeting could offer a chance for Merkel to begin preparing the German public for the necessity of stronger sanctions — something she has not done, said Heather Conley, director of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

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More News On President Obama And German Chancellor Merkel Meeting To Discuss Ukraine And Russia

Obama, Merkel to Display Unity Against Russia -- AP
Merkel-Obama Ties Invigorated by Putin Over Ukraine -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Merkel's White House test: suppress anger over NSA to show unity on Ukraine -- Howard Lafranchi, Christian Science Monitor
Ukraine crisis: what is the relationship between Angela Merkel and Vladimir Putin? -- The Telegraph

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