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Task for Obama at Group of 7 Is to Reinforce Stance Against Russia Task for Obama at Group of 7 Is to Reinforce Stance Against Russia
(35 minutes later)
WASHINGTON — One year after President Obama rallied core allies to join the United States in punishing Russia for its bellicose ways, he will use a gathering on Sunday of the world’s largest industrialized democracies to urge them to stand strong, and together, in isolating the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin.WASHINGTON — One year after President Obama rallied core allies to join the United States in punishing Russia for its bellicose ways, he will use a gathering on Sunday of the world’s largest industrialized democracies to urge them to stand strong, and together, in isolating the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin.
But this time, Mr. Obama faces an additional challenge: It is not entirely clear that their efforts are working.But this time, Mr. Obama faces an additional challenge: It is not entirely clear that their efforts are working.
The tough economic sanctions that have been the linchpin of American and European efforts to confront Moscow over its annexation of Crimea last year and its continuing aggression in Ukraine have, along with the lower price of oil, exacted an economic toll on Russia. They may even have helped deter Mr. Putin from escalating his intervention. The tough economic sanctions that have been the linchpin of American and European efforts to confront Moscow over its annexation of Crimea last year and its continuing aggression in Ukraine have, along with the lower price of oil, exacted a toll on Russia. They may even have helped deter Mr. Putin from escalating his intervention.
But they evidently have not forced him to give up his designs on Ukraine or to surrender Crimea, and many analysts believe he is playing a waiting game on the assumption that he can outlast Euro-American solidarity.But they evidently have not forced him to give up his designs on Ukraine or to surrender Crimea, and many analysts believe he is playing a waiting game on the assumption that he can outlast Euro-American solidarity.
A recent visit by Secretary of State John Kerry to the Black Sea resort city of Sochi for a meeting with Mr. Putin — questioned even by some inside the White House — sharpened debate over the Obama administration’s stance, leaving the Russian president claiming a diplomatic triumph while American officials scrambled to explain that their policy had not changed.A recent visit by Secretary of State John Kerry to the Black Sea resort city of Sochi for a meeting with Mr. Putin — questioned even by some inside the White House — sharpened debate over the Obama administration’s stance, leaving the Russian president claiming a diplomatic triumph while American officials scrambled to explain that their policy had not changed.
Mr. Obama arrives in the Bavarian Alps on Sunday to face those doubts during a two-day summit meeting of the Group of 7 world powers.Mr. Obama arrives in the Bavarian Alps on Sunday to face those doubts during a two-day summit meeting of the Group of 7 world powers.
His immediate task is to steel the resolve of European powers scheduled to meet at the end of the month to review their sanctions against Moscow. Mr. Obama wants them to keep those measures in place, and also signal that they are willing to go even further should Russia escalate its aggression in Ukraine. His immediate task is to steel the resolve of European powers scheduled to meet at the end of the month to review their sanctions against Moscow. Mr. Obama wants them to keep those measures in place, and also to signal that they are willing to go even further should Russia escalate its aggression in Ukraine.
“Most urgently, the focus is on maintaining the unity around the sanctions effort that has had very significant consequences on the Russian economy,” said Benjamin J. Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser to Mr. Obama.“Most urgently, the focus is on maintaining the unity around the sanctions effort that has had very significant consequences on the Russian economy,” said Benjamin J. Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser to Mr. Obama.
“We need to maintain the pressure, show that there cannot be cracks in the trans-Atlantic unity, and show that the costs are just going to continue to grow for Russia,” he added.“We need to maintain the pressure, show that there cannot be cracks in the trans-Atlantic unity, and show that the costs are just going to continue to grow for Russia,” he added.
Mr. Obama began laying the groundwork on Friday in a phone call with President Petro O. Poroshenko of Ukraine, in which the White House said he had reaffirmed American support and spoken of his determination to “maintain costs on Russia and the separatists” in eastern Ukraine until they honor a cease-fire agreement that is threatening to collapse after renewed clashes last week.Mr. Obama began laying the groundwork on Friday in a phone call with President Petro O. Poroshenko of Ukraine, in which the White House said he had reaffirmed American support and spoken of his determination to “maintain costs on Russia and the separatists” in eastern Ukraine until they honor a cease-fire agreement that is threatening to collapse after renewed clashes last week.
The debate over how to address Moscow’s aggression in Ukraine is likely to overshadow the meetings, to be held at a castlelike luxury hotel with sweeping alpine views.The debate over how to address Moscow’s aggression in Ukraine is likely to overshadow the meetings, to be held at a castlelike luxury hotel with sweeping alpine views.
World leaders also will weigh their next moves in the increasingly grim fight against the Sunni militant group Islamic State, after a conference last week in Paris yielded no breakthroughs on how the United States-led international coalition could reverse the group’s gains. World leaders will also weigh their next moves in the increasingly grim fight against the Sunni militant group Islamic State, after a conference last week in Paris yielded no breakthroughs on how the United States-led international coalition could reverse the group’s gains.
Mr. Obama is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi of Iraq on the G-7 meeting’s sidelines on Monday. There, he is likely to hear pleas for more American help in fighting the Islamic State, whose recent gains in Iraq and Syria have left the president and coalition partners in search of a winning strategy. Mr. Obama is scheduled on Monday to meet with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi of Iraq on the sidelines of the Group of 7 meeting. There, he is likely to hear pleas for more American help in fighting the Islamic State, whose recent gains in Iraq and Syria have left the president and coalition partners in search of a winning strategy.
It was not supposed to be this way for Mr. Obama, who, in the seventh year of his presidency, would like to use the G-7 gathering to advance his legacy. The president is hoping to secure pledges from American allies that they will make binding commitments to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions before a December climate change summit in Paris, which he has made a top priority. It was not supposed to be this way for Mr. Obama, who, in the seventh year of his presidency, would like to use the Group of 7 gathering to advance his legacy. The president is hoping to secure pledges from American allies that they will make binding commitments to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions before a December climate change summit meeting in Paris, which he has made a top priority.
Mr. Obama also wants a strong statement from the group in support of free trade, another priority that is increasingly generating domestic opposition both in the United States and among allies. He will need to reassure allies that even in the face of those challenges, he will ultimately have enough votes in Congress to push through trade promotion authority legislation that would pave the way for completing the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a massive deal spanning the Pacific Rim. The G-7 countries are more focused on a trans-Atlantic agreement, also far from being finished. Mr. Obama also wants a strong statement from the group in support of free trade, another priority that is increasingly generating opposition both in the United States and among allies. He will need to reassure allies that even in the face of those challenges, he will ultimately have enough votes in Congress to push through trade promotion authority legislation that would pave the way for completing the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a massive deal spanning the Pacific Rim. The Group of 7 countries are more focused on a trans-Atlantic agreement, also far from being finished.
“They’ll want private assurances from the president that he’s got the votes,” said Patrick Cronin, the senior director of the Asia-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, a Washington-based research organization.“They’ll want private assurances from the president that he’s got the votes,” said Patrick Cronin, the senior director of the Asia-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, a Washington-based research organization.
But it is the continuing crisis in Ukraine that will consume much of the energy at the gathering, the second since the seven world powers, at Mr. Obama’s urging, booted Russia from their group last year. But it is the crisis in Ukraine that will consume much of the energy at the gathering, the second since the seven world powers, at Mr. Obama’s urging, booted Russia from their group last year.
Top among Mr. Obama’s tasks will be “a little bit of mopping up” from the meeting Mr. Kerry held with Mr. Putin, said Julianne Smith, a former deputy national security adviser to Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.Top among Mr. Obama’s tasks will be “a little bit of mopping up” from the meeting Mr. Kerry held with Mr. Putin, said Julianne Smith, a former deputy national security adviser to Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.
“It created this kind of cloud of controversy around what is the U.S. strategy, why did he go?” Ms. Smith said, calling the visit “counterproductive” in some ways. Mr. Obama is now in the position of emphasizing to European leaders, particularly Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, the summit meeting’s host, that, “We’re not trying to undercut your efforts — this was meant to enhance those efforts. And there was no side deal — there was no, special, secret agreement that you don’t know about,” Ms. Smith added. “It created this kind of cloud of controversy around what is the U.S. strategy, why did he go?” Ms. Smith said, calling the visit “counterproductive” in some ways. Mr. Obama is now in the position of emphasizing to European leaders, particularly Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, the summit meeting’s host, that “we’re not trying to undercut your efforts — this was meant to enhance those efforts.
Mr. Obama will do so starting Sunday morning, when he is scheduled to stroll through in the tiny, picturesque town of Krun with Ms. Merkel, tasting local food and taking in some Bavarian culture before the two hold a formal private meeting. Ms. Smith added, “And there was no side deal — there was no, special, secret agreement that you don’t know about.”
Mr. Obama will do so starting Sunday morning, when he is scheduled to stroll in the tiny, picturesque town of Krun with Ms. Merkel, tasting local food and taking in some Bavarian culture before the two hold a formal private meeting.
White House officials argue that Mr. Kerry’s meeting with Mr. Putin was a chance for the United States to discuss other critical issues, especially those on which it has maintained cooperation with Russia, such as the pursuit of a nuclear deal with Iran and ending the conflict in Syria. These administration officials insist there is no flagging of resolve or lack of clarity about Washington’s approach on Ukraine.White House officials argue that Mr. Kerry’s meeting with Mr. Putin was a chance for the United States to discuss other critical issues, especially those on which it has maintained cooperation with Russia, such as the pursuit of a nuclear deal with Iran and ending the conflict in Syria. These administration officials insist there is no flagging of resolve or lack of clarity about Washington’s approach on Ukraine.
“I don’t see any change in policy on Ukraine, nor do I see Ukraine fatigue,” said Charles Kupchan, the senior director for European Affairs at the National Security Council.“I don’t see any change in policy on Ukraine, nor do I see Ukraine fatigue,” said Charles Kupchan, the senior director for European Affairs at the National Security Council.
Still, Mr. Obama will face calls for clarity from his European partners about a policy that has not yielded the hoped-for results.Still, Mr. Obama will face calls for clarity from his European partners about a policy that has not yielded the hoped-for results.
“The policy was quite robust and rigorous in the first few months after the illegal annexation of Crimea, but it seems to be in a bit of a float,” said Heather A. Conley, director of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “All of the G-7 leaders are going to have a lot of questions for President Obama, focusing on what’s next, what’s the plan.”“The policy was quite robust and rigorous in the first few months after the illegal annexation of Crimea, but it seems to be in a bit of a float,” said Heather A. Conley, director of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “All of the G-7 leaders are going to have a lot of questions for President Obama, focusing on what’s next, what’s the plan.”