U.S. President Barack Obama left Saudi Arabia for Washington Saturday, following a week long diplomatic trip to the Middle East and Europe.
Before leaving Riyadh Mr. Obama presented the U.S. State Department's Women of Courage award to Saudi activist Maha Al Muneef who was honored for her role in combating domestic violence.
Mr. Obama met Friday with Saudi King Abdullah to address their differences over security interests across the Middle East.
Their meeting outside the capital, Riyadh, focused mostly on tensions spawned by Syria's civil war and Iran's nuclear program.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called U.S. President Barack Obama Friday to discuss a U.S. proposal for resolving the crisis in Ukraine.
The White House says Mr. Obama suggested that Mr. Putin offer a written response to the proposed diplomatic solution presented to Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov by Secretary of State John Kerry earlier in the week.
Earlier, in an interview aired Friday on CBS, Mr. Obama said Russia's military moves near the Ukrainian border may be an effort to intimidate Ukraine.
Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Mr. Putin has assured him that Russia has no intention of making additional moves into Ukrainian territory.
The head of Ukraine's national security council said Russia has close to 100,000 troops along Ukraine's borders in the north, south, and east. He said Russian forces are in full readiness to strike. Western experts believe the number of Russian forces near eastern and southern Ukraine is close to 30,000.
Also Friday, Russia described as "counterproductive" a U.N. resolution that refuses to recognize its annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine. Russia's Foreign Ministry said the U.N. General Assembly resolution will only complicate efforts to settle Ukraine's internal political crisis.
Crimea's majority Russian residents voted to break away from Ukraine and join Russia in a referendum earlier this month that Western powers deemed illegal.
Ousted Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych called Friday for referendums to determine the status of all Ukrainian regions. He said only a nationwide referendum and not an early presidential election can stabilize Ukraine and preserve its sovereignty and integrity.
Source : Voice of america
