President Barack Obama and other world leaders huddled in a remote Bavarian castle Sunday, debating a way forward in Ukraine after economic sanctions failed to stop Russia’s advances in the eastern part of that country.
Ensconced in the Schloss Elmau hotel high in the southern German Alps, Obama was expected to urge his European counterparts to extend sanctions on Russia, which have weakened the ruble and caused some discontent among the Russian population, administration officials said.
Obama must persuade his European counterparts to extend the Russian sanctions, even as the White House admits those measures have done little to slow the campaign of Russian-backed separatists along the border with Ukraine, where thousands have died since the conflict began last year.
Obama must also shore up support among U.S. allies for his strategy against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq, where the fall of Ramadi has prompted new calls for ramped-up assistance to the Iraqi military and Sunni fighters in Anbar province.
Obama planned to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in Germany on Monday. Al-Abadi was expected to press the United States for more equipment he says is desperately needed to combat ISIS advances.
But Obama isn’t likely to announce any new assistance to Iraq this weekend, according to the officials, who say the administration is continually assessing its training and equipment shipments to Baghdad.
Obama also has been reluctant to provide lethal aid to Ukrainian troops, currently engaged in some of the fiercest fighting in their conflict with Russian-backed separatists since a rocky ceasefire deal was agreed to in February.
Vice President Joe Biden, speaking last month in Washington, said the shipments were still under consideration, and senior members of Obama’s administration – including Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey – have voiced openness to arms shipments.
But European leaders, led by Merkel, have fiercely opposed lethal aid out of fear the violence could escalate.
Any decision on sending arms to Ukraine appeared unlikely at the G7 meeting.
“I think our general view is ‘steady as she goes’ on that front,” said Charles Kupchan, Obama’s senior director for European affairs. “We’ve always said that we favor and are pushing toward a diplomatic settlement to the crisis.”
A diplomatic solution to the crisis in Ukraine as so far evaded Western leaders, who attempted to broker a ceasefire earlier this year in Belarus. Since then, there have been multiple violations to the so-called Minsk Agreement, including advances by heavy weaponry. Observers near the eastern city of Donetsk reported heavy artillery fire Wednesday, saying it was some of the worst fighting since the agreement was declared.