Barack Obama today cancelled a summit with Vladimir Putin in a diplomatic snub intended to show America's anger over the Russian decision to grant asylum to Edward Snowden.
Hours after Mr Obama accused the Russian president of "a Cold War mentality", the White House announced he would not attend a planned meeting in Moscow in September.
American officials said the already-strained relationship with Russia had worsened after the Kremlin granted one-year asylum to Mr Snowden, the fugitive leaker who faces espionage charges in the US.
"It was the unanimous view of the President and his national security team that a summit did not make sense in the current environment," said Ben Rhodes, White House deputy national security adviser.
Mr Obama will still travel to St Petersburg for the G20 summit with other leaders but will not make a solo trip to Moscow for a one-on-one with Mr Putin. Instead, the President will add a one-day trip to Sweden to his itinerary.
The Kremlin did not offer any immediate reaction. Full story...
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Hours after Mr Obama accused the Russian president of "a Cold War mentality", the White House announced he would not attend a planned meeting in Moscow in September.
American officials said the already-strained relationship with Russia had worsened after the Kremlin granted one-year asylum to Mr Snowden, the fugitive leaker who faces espionage charges in the US.
"It was the unanimous view of the President and his national security team that a summit did not make sense in the current environment," said Ben Rhodes, White House deputy national security adviser.
Mr Obama will still travel to St Petersburg for the G20 summit with other leaders but will not make a solo trip to Moscow for a one-on-one with Mr Putin. Instead, the President will add a one-day trip to Sweden to his itinerary.
The Kremlin did not offer any immediate reaction. Full story...
Related posts:
- White House threatens summit withdrawal as Russia grants Edward Snowden asylum...
- US slams Russia for giving 'propaganda platform' to Snowden...
- NSA director booed during ‘unconvincing’ hacker conference speech...
- Letter to Obama from Edward Snowden's father...
- Swedish professor nominates Edward Snowden for the Nobel Peace Prize...
- Bullying 2 faced, utterly cynical USA: shades of the Soviet Union?
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