The White House announced on Monday that President Barack Obama will meet with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan at the G20 summit in China on September 4. Obama is also expected to have an informal talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the summit.
At the bilateral meeting with the Turkish president, Obama will discuss the attempted coup in July and the country’s campaign against ISIS. Stabilization in Syria is another topic up for discussion.
The White House is opposed to Turkey making a push into northern Syria in areas controlled by opposition group SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces), which the administration supports. A move into SDF territory might disrupt the united stance against the IS.
A Kremlin spokesman said a meeting between Obama and Putin had yet to be scheduled.
Obama will also meet with China’s President Xi Jinping to review relations between the U.S. and China. The hours-long meeting will include discussions on tension in the South China Sea, the differences between the two countries, cybersecurity, human rights and the economy.
The president also has plans to travel to Laos to attend a meeting among leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Obama will also meet with Rodrigo Duterte, the new president of the Philippines.
