Toluca, Mexico 19 February 2014
President Obama and Prime Minister Stephen Harper met today, for 30 minutes, on the margins of the North American Leaders’ Summit.
The leaders discussed and strongly condemned the violence taking place on the streets of Ukraine and agreed that the government of Ukraine is responsible for protecting its people, and upholding the universal right to freedom of expression, and that those who violate those basic rights should be held accountable.
The leaders noted reports of a truce between the government and the opposition which, if implemented, would be a welcome step forward in pursuing that meaningful dialogue. They agreed they will continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure that actions mirror words.
The President and Prime Minister said that the military should also show restraint and not become involved in issues that should be resolved by civilians.
Both resolved to work closely with European allies on options for additional measures, including measures to hold those responsible for violence accountable.
The leaders also discussed issues of shared concern, including the ongoing Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, the global economy, and border infrastructure and security.
The topic of the Keystone pipeline was discussed, with the leaders saying privately what both have already said publicly.
Finally, the leaders agreed they will both be watching tomorrow's Olympic women's hockey game and Friday's Olympic men's hockey game between Canada and the USA with great interest and excitement. They agreed to disagree on who to root for.
