- Title: Obama arrives at German chancellery for talks with Merkel
- Date: 17th November 2016
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (NOVEMBER 17, 2016) (REUTERS) WIDE OF BRANDENBURG GATE MOTORCADE WITH U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA SEEN FROM BRANDENBURG GATE MORE OF MOTORCADE DRIVING PAST BEHIND BRANDENBURG GATE WIDE OF SQUARE IN FRONT OF BRANDENBURG GATE POLICE HELICOPTER IN AIR WIDE OF GERMAN CHANCELLERY SNIPERS ON CHANCELLERY ROOFTOP CAR CARRYING U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA DRIVING PAST
- Embargoed: 2nd December 2016 14:50
- Keywords: Barack Obama Berlin farewell tour Angela Merkel Germany
- Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
- City: BERLIN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00158U1747
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: U.S. President Barack Obama arrived at the German chancellery on Thursday (November 17) for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, his staunchest European ally during his eight years in office.
Obama and Merkel, whom he described ahead of the visit as his "closest international partner", forged a close transatlantic alliance that President-elect Donald Trump may now call into question.
Obama's trip to Berlin is part of a farewell tour of Europe as he seeks to reassure US allies that Trump will maintain key core US strategic relationships around the world, including with NATO, once he takes office in January.
On Friday (November 18), Obama and Merkel are due to hold talks in the German capital with French President Francois Hollande, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and UK Prime Minister Theresa May.
The leaders will discuss extending sanctions imposed on Russia for its intervention in Ukraine, and possible new sanctions for its bombing in Syria, sources familiar with the plans said.
Trump has indicated that he will seek a rapprochement with Russia, raising doubts in Europe about the future of the sanctions regime introduced by Washington and Brussels in 2014 following Russia's intervention in eastern Ukraine.
A German official said the plan was to agree a roll-over of EU sanctions against Russia, which are due to expire at the end of January, in the coming weeks. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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