Obama and Hollande talks complicated by Russian plane incident

Standing in solidarity after the Paris attacks, President Barack Obama and French President Francois Hollande opened talks on Tuesday about expanding the international campaign against the Islamic State, an effort likely to be complicated by Turkey’s downing of a Russian warplane. Hollande’s trip to Washington is part of a diplomatic push to get the U.S. and other nations to bolster efforts to destroy the militant group that has claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks. But Hollande is likely to leave Washington without firm backing for his call to bring Russia into a new coalition to fight the extremists.

The United States is certainly pulling more than our own weight. And we believe that there is more that can be done if countries are willing to contribute additional resources.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest

France has stepped up its airstrikes following the Paris attacks, relying in part on U.S. intelligence to hit targets in Raqqa, the Islamic State group’s stronghold in Syria. British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Monday he would seek parliamentary approval this week for Britain to begin airstrikes as well. Hollande wants the U.S.-led coalition to start cooperating with Russia, which is also launching airstrikes in Syria. While Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country is targeting the Islamic State militants, the U.S. contends Moscow is going after rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar Assad, a Kremlin ally.

Hollande Washington Americas