Chancellor
Angela Merkel has spent several hours at the G20 summit in talks with Russian
President Vladimir Putin, joined later by EU Commission boss Jean-Claude
Juncker. The talks are thought to have focused on Ukraine.
Deutsche Welle, 15 Nov 2014
G20 heads
of state and government entered Sunday, the final day of the summit in Brisbane
with Russia's Vladimir Putin ostracized and facing Western warnings that Moscow
risked more economic sanctions over its alleged support of separatist rebels in
eastern Ukraine.
Media
speculation that Putin might prematurely leave what was supposed to be an
economic summit was denied by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
"This
is wrong. The president is taking part in all the [G20] events," Peskov
said.
Since
April's outbreak of a separatist insurgency against the Kyiv government, Moscow
has denied arming pro-Russian rebels and sending military equipment.
Saturday's
formal G20 photograph session saw Putin on the outer edge of the line-up.
Hotel
conference room
The DPA
news agency said German Chancellor Merkel visited Putin's Brisbane hotel and
spent nearly six hours in a small conference room (pictured) on Saturday at
unscheduled, closed-door talks reported to have focused on Ukraine.
DPA
reported that her one-to-one talks with Putin lasted for two hours before they
were joined by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. The three-way
talks then ran for around four hours.
Juncker
said EU leaders at Sunday's G20 session intended to consult with US President
Barack Obama, who was also in Brisbane. Juncker called on Putin to halt alleged
weapons deliveries.
Putin, in
turn, told Germany's ARD public television that Western sanctions already
crippling the Russian economy would backfire, hurting Western trading partners
and hampering deliveries of Russian gas and oil.
'Not
satisfying'
Earlier, at
a brief press conference, Merkel had said the EU was considering further
financial sanctions against Russian individuals in relation to the Ukraine
crisis.
"The
present situation is not satisfying," she told reporters. "At present
the listing of further persons is on the agenda."
Merkel
added that it was obvious that the geopolitical strains were not beneficial in
relation to the summit's intended goal - reinvigorating the global economy.
'Brisbane
Action Plan'
At Sunday's
closing session, G20 leaders were to focus on a plan to spur global economic
growth and create jobs.
The
"Brisbane Action Plan," based on a prognosis drawn up by the
International Monetary Fund (IMF), would aim to inject two percent growth into
the world economy and create 20 million new jobs worldwide.
Security
talks without Xi
President
Obama was due to hold talks with the Japanese and Australian prime ministers,
Shinzo Abe and Tony Abbott on Asia-Pacific security.
Obama said
those talks were not meant to antagonize rising power China.
"By
virtual of its size and its remarkable growth, China will play a critical role
in the future of this region," Obama said during a speech at a Brisbane
university.
Visiting
China earlier in the week, Obama emerged with a surprising level of concensus
with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the need to reduce climate-damaging
carbon emissions.
Climate
change, Ebola
Tackling
climate change has featured little so far on the summit agenda.
G20 leaders
promised on Saturday to "extinguish" the Ebola epidemic gripping West
Africa, but made no new cash pledges, aside from welcoming a IMF initiative to
deliver 240 million euros ($300 million) to fight the hemorrhaging disease.
ipj/pfd (dpa, AP, Reuters, AFP)
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