Obama to Meet Ukrainian President-Elect
President Barack Obama is set to meet Wednesday in Poland with Ukraine’s next leader, Petro Poroshenko, in a show of support as Ukrainian forces battle pro-Russian separatists in eastern regions of Ukraine.
White House officials say the U.S. is working to help Ukrainian efforts to stabilize its economy and to reduce tensions through peaceful dialogue.
After the meeting, Obama is scheduled to speak at a Freedom Day event in Warsaw marking the 25th anniversary of Poland’s first partially free election.
Later Wednesday, he will travel to Brussels for a summit of leaders from the Group of Seven nations. The summit was quickly arranged after deciding to boycott a Group of Eight meeting which Russia was scheduled to host this week in Sochi. The boycott was in response to Russia’s incursion into Crimea in March.
Obama urged Russia on Tuesday to help prevent the flow of weapons to separatists in eastern Ukraine and use its influence to get the militants there to support peace.
He said Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski agreed that further Russian provocation will have costs for Russia, including possible sanctions.
Obama said the U.S.-Russia relationship can be rebuilt, but it will take time to re-establish trust. He called on President Vladimir Putin to meet with Poroshenko.
The U.S. president also proposed a $1 billion effort to boost military training and troop rotations in Europe, including more naval deployments in the Black and Baltic seas. He said he does not believe Ukraine has to choose between having good relations with Europe or with Russia.
Obama is on a three-nation tour of Europe that will include a speech Friday at Omaha Beach in Normandy, France, during a ceremony for the 70th anniversary of the allied D-Day invasion against Nazi forces in World War II. Putin will also attend that event.
No meetings are scheduled between the Russian and American presidents, but Putin is scheduled to meet in Normandy with French President Francois Hollande, British Prime Minister David Cameron, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. (VOA)
