Top Story: The question of an impending U.S. military strike against Syria hung over much of the G20 summit in St. Petersburg.
- President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin met privately on Friday for a “candid and constructive conversation.” (AP)
- But the message out of it? “Will we help Syria?” Putin reportedly said. “Yes, we will. We’re doing it right now, we’re supplying arms.” (Business Insider)
- Chinese President Xi Jinping also spoke to President Obama Friday about the situation in Syria. Xinhua, the official press agency of China, reports that Xi warned Obama about using force as an answer: “A political solution is the only right way out for the Syrian crisis, and a military strike cannot solve the problem from the root.” (Xinhua)
- Ten countries—Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the US—issued a joint statement about Syria: “We call for a strong international response to this grave violation of the world’s rules and conscience that will send a clear message that this kind of atrocity can never be repeated. Those who perpetrated these crimes must be held accountable.” (BuzzFeed News)
- On the domestic front, keep an eye on Think Progress’ running tally of where Congress stands on a military strike: http://thkpr.gs/15RgyxN
- Meanwhile, the State Department on Friday ordered all non-emergency personnel and their families to leave the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, and issued travel warnings around the Middle East. (MSNBC)
- And something to look ahead toward: at a press conference Friday from St. Petersburg, President Obama announced he will address the American people on Tuesday to make his case for a strike against Syria. (NBC News)
Traci Lee