Share

Obama speaks after Russian agreement at G20 Summit

He said that the work between the two superpowers will continue.

Advertisement

President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping pose for photographers as they shake hands before their meeting at the West Lake State Guest House in Hangzhou in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, September 3, 2016.

China on Monday levelled responsibility at the United States and journalists for a fracas at a Chinese airport, in which officials of both countries exchanged heated remarks as President Barack Obama disembarked from his aircraft.

Obama said he and Putin instructed their deputies “to keep working at it over the next several days”.

Obama has downplayed the issue.

“I really hope that if we reach an agreement – and I have grounds to believe that it can happen in the next few days – we will be able to talk about significantly improving and intensifying our cooperation with the USA on fighting terrorist organisations, including those operating in Syria“, Putin said.

Obama, Xi and other leaders called during the meeting for governments to defend free trade.

Saying that they discussed “a range of issues”, the American president noted the situation in Syria was the most important of them.

The conversation came hours after USA and Russian negotiators acknowledged that a recent round of intense talks had come up short.

In a joint statement, Chinese President Xi Jinping, U.S. President Barack Obama and the leaders of Britain, Japan, Russia and other Group of 20 nations pledged to boost sluggish global growth by promoting innovation.

The comments were made a day after Obama said the USA and Russian Federation had deep differences with regard to the parties they support in Syria as well as the process to bring peace there. It was the second time in two weeks that Kerry and Lavrov have failed to reach a deal on a ceasefire deal.

Recall that earlier, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “the meeting lasted longer than planned”. Ukraine was mentioned at the meeting, Putin said, without specifying further. He said he made clear to the Russian leader that until the Minsk accord is implemented, Washington “will not pull down sanctions”.

The United States and China just announced that they will formally join the Paris climate agreement.

The United States and Russian Federation have been trying to reach a deal over the Syria crisis.

However, he said that given the gaps of trust that exist, that’s a tough negotiation.

Advertisement

Washington should “aim to find a compromise which would reflect the interests of both cooperating sides”, Putin said, adding that sometimes the USA leadership only considers its “own benefit”. U.S. officials blame Russian intelligence for a hack on the Democratic National Committee that resulted in a leak of emails damaging to its presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

EU leaders call for action on Chinese steel