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| U.S. Will Step Up Training of Iraqi Forces Fighting ISIS, Obama Says | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| KRÜN, Germany — President Obama said on Monday that he had asked the Pentagon for a plan to accelerate the American military’s efforts to train and equip Iraqi forces fighting the Islamic State, acknowledging that the militant group’s recent gains indicate a need for a shift in strategy. | |
| “We don’t have, yet, a complete strategy, because it requires commitments on the part of Iraqis as well,” Mr. Obama said at the close of a summit of the Group of 7 world leaders here. “The details are not worked out.” | |
| Mr. Obama said of the militants of the Islamic State, also known as ISIL and ISIS: “They’re nimble and they’re aggressive and they’re opportunistic.” | |
| He said that it was important to more quickly train Iraqi forces to better fight the Sunni militants. But he acknowledged that the training “has not been happening as fast as it needs to.” And he said the United States has “made some progress, but not enough” in stemming the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq and Syria. | |
| The president said that Turkey was not doing what was required to monitor its border with Syria and halt the stream of fighters. | |
| Earlier Monday, Mr. Obama met with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi of Iraq, where he reaffirmed the world powers’ commitment to supporting Iraq in the fight against the Islamic State, which has made major gains in recent weeks. | |
| “Although it is going to take time, and there will be setbacks and lessons learned, we are going to be successful,” Mr. Obama said at the start of a meeting with Mr. Abadi. “ISIL is going to be driven out of Iraq, and ultimately, it is going to be defeated.” | |
| The meetings here at a castle in the Bavarian Alps were dominated by discussion of how to address Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine. The campaign to defeat the Islamic State has been part of the crowded agenda. | |
| The president used the gathering of leaders of the major industrialized countries to prod his European counterparts, who are facing calls at home to pull back their economic sanctions on Moscow, to keep the penalties in place to maintain pressure on Russia to halt its moves in Ukraine. | The president used the gathering of leaders of the major industrialized countries to prod his European counterparts, who are facing calls at home to pull back their economic sanctions on Moscow, to keep the penalties in place to maintain pressure on Russia to halt its moves in Ukraine. |
| In a communiqué issued on Monday, the leaders agreed the sanctions should be “clearly linked to Russia’s complete implementation of” a cease-fire agreement and respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty. | In a communiqué issued on Monday, the leaders agreed the sanctions should be “clearly linked to Russia’s complete implementation of” a cease-fire agreement and respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty. |
| “We also stand ready to take further restrictive measures in order to increase cost on Russia should its actions so require,” the leaders said in their joint statement. | “We also stand ready to take further restrictive measures in order to increase cost on Russia should its actions so require,” the leaders said in their joint statement. |
| The pledge at the end of the two-day gathering was a boost for Mr. Obama, who needs European allies to maintain consensus on the sanctions to keep Russia isolated and on the defensive, in the hope that Mr. Putin might ultimately agree to back down in Ukraine. But that prospect seems increasingly unlikely, as violence mounts and Moscow appears to have weathered the economic onslaught of American and European sanctions. | The pledge at the end of the two-day gathering was a boost for Mr. Obama, who needs European allies to maintain consensus on the sanctions to keep Russia isolated and on the defensive, in the hope that Mr. Putin might ultimately agree to back down in Ukraine. But that prospect seems increasingly unlikely, as violence mounts and Moscow appears to have weathered the economic onslaught of American and European sanctions. |
| Still, the European Union is scheduled to vote later this month on whether to extend the sanctions, and the language used by the leaders was an important marker, indicating that they are willing to maintain sanctions even in the face of domestic criticism. | Still, the European Union is scheduled to vote later this month on whether to extend the sanctions, and the language used by the leaders was an important marker, indicating that they are willing to maintain sanctions even in the face of domestic criticism. |
| In his first meeting with Mr. Abadi since Islamic State fighters took control of the Iraqi city of Ramadi, Mr. Obama called the prime minister a reliable partner, and praised his “refreshing honesty” in acknowledging the challenges of confronting the militant group. | In his first meeting with Mr. Abadi since Islamic State fighters took control of the Iraqi city of Ramadi, Mr. Obama called the prime minister a reliable partner, and praised his “refreshing honesty” in acknowledging the challenges of confronting the militant group. |
| The president said he believed the militants’ takeover of the capital of Anbar Province was “a short-term tactical success,” and said his administration was working to determine how to get more weapons into the hands of Iraqi forces who are prepared to fight the Islamic State on a timely basis. | The president said he believed the militants’ takeover of the capital of Anbar Province was “a short-term tactical success,” and said his administration was working to determine how to get more weapons into the hands of Iraqi forces who are prepared to fight the Islamic State on a timely basis. |
| With the Sunni militants racking up gains in Iraq and Syria, G-7 leaders used the meeting as a chance to restate their commitment to the American-led coalition seeking to help stop the group. But Mr. Abadi has said that the assistance is not enough. On Monday, he said he needed help assembling a “global intelligence-sharing effort” to try to thwart the Islamic State’s recruitment efforts, saying the scores of foreign fighters streaming into Iraq and Syria to carry out suicide bombings and other attacks were an increasingly grave threat. | With the Sunni militants racking up gains in Iraq and Syria, G-7 leaders used the meeting as a chance to restate their commitment to the American-led coalition seeking to help stop the group. But Mr. Abadi has said that the assistance is not enough. On Monday, he said he needed help assembling a “global intelligence-sharing effort” to try to thwart the Islamic State’s recruitment efforts, saying the scores of foreign fighters streaming into Iraq and Syria to carry out suicide bombings and other attacks were an increasingly grave threat. |
| “This will require the effort and the mobilization of the international community,” Mr. Abadi said. | “This will require the effort and the mobilization of the international community,” Mr. Abadi said. |
| While much of the gathering focused on the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East, the meeting was also an opportunity for Mr. Obama to discuss issues he has made central to his legacy. | While much of the gathering focused on the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East, the meeting was also an opportunity for Mr. Obama to discuss issues he has made central to his legacy. |
| On climate change, the G-7 leaders agreed on Monday to work toward a long-term goal of reducing global emissions of greenhouse gases between 40 and 70 percent by 2050, signaling that they are united in support of a significant climate change accord in Paris in December. | On climate change, the G-7 leaders agreed on Monday to work toward a long-term goal of reducing global emissions of greenhouse gases between 40 and 70 percent by 2050, signaling that they are united in support of a significant climate change accord in Paris in December. |
| The leaders endorsed the objective that a United Nations climate change panel said last year must be reached in order to avoid damaging and dangerous increases in the Earth’s temperature, and said that they would work for reductions at the higher end of the target range. | The leaders endorsed the objective that a United Nations climate change panel said last year must be reached in order to avoid damaging and dangerous increases in the Earth’s temperature, and said that they would work for reductions at the higher end of the target range. |
| “Urgent and concrete action is needed to address climate change,” the leaders said in their statement, expressing support for adopting an “ambitious, robust” climate deal in Paris later this year. | “Urgent and concrete action is needed to address climate change,” the leaders said in their statement, expressing support for adopting an “ambitious, robust” climate deal in Paris later this year. |