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Obama, Barack

Obama and Putin Engage in Heated Exchange Over Syria, Ukraine at UN General Assembly

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The United Nations General Assembly witnessed a tense and confrontational exchange between US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, with both leaders delivering dueling addresses on the Syrian civil war. The relationship between the two leaders has been strained since Russia's intervention in Ukraine in 2014, and the meeting was seen as a rare opportunity for them to discuss the conflict in Syria. The US has imposed sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine, but Putin dismissed international criticism and called for a "genuine consideration of the interests and rights of the people" in the Donbass region.

Key Takeaways:

  • President Obama urged diplomacy and criticized Russia for backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, annexing Crimea, and propping up separatists in Ukraine.
  • Putin countered that Assad's government should be a partner in the battle against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and accused the US of meddling in other countries around the region.
  • Obama emphasized that the US would be open to working with Iran and Russia to combat ISIS, but stressed that there cannot be a return to the "status quo" under Assad.
  • Putin announced that Russia had reached an agreement with Iran, Syria, and Iraq to share intelligence about ISIS, which could rival the 62-nation coalition the US has assembled to fight the extremist group.
  • The two leaders also clashed over Ukraine, with Obama arguing that Russia's military intervention in Crimea and the eastern part of the country was a flagrant violation of international norms.
  • Putin shrugged off international criticism over Russia's support for Ukrainian separatists and called for a "genuine consideration of the interests and rights of the people" in the Donbass region.

Statistics:

  • Hundreds of thousands dead in the Syrian civil war
  • 62-nation coalition assembled by the US to fight the Islamic State (ISIS)
  • 3 countries (Iran, Syria, and Iraq) reached an agreement with Russia to share intelligence about ISIS
  • 2 leaders (Obama and Putin) delivered dueling addresses at the UN General Assembly
  • 1 meeting (between Obama and Putin) was held for around 90 minutes
  • Sanctions imposed by the US on Russia over its actions in Ukraine since 2014

Sources:

  • Jordan Fabian and Julian Hattem, "Obama and Putin Engage in Heady Exchange Over Syria, Ukraine at UN General Assembly" (Getty Images)
  • The original text does not provide a specific publication date, but it was published on September 28, 2015, by The Hill.
  • Obama, B. (2015, September 28). "Dangerous currents risk pulling us back into a darker, more disordered world." Speech at the UN General Assembly.
  • Putin, V. (2015, September 28). "We think it is an enormous mistake to refuse to cooperate with the Syrian government and its armed forces." Speech at the UN General Assembly.
  • McCain, J. (2015, September 28). "The White House's decision to sit down with Putin is as misguided as it is unnecessary." Statement on the Senate Armed Services Committee website.

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