U.S. President Barack Obama (front L) is escorted from Marine One to Air Force One as he departs Saudi Arabia to return to Washington, March 29, 2014.
Obama Heads Back to Washington
U.S. President Barack Obama is enroute to Washington, on Saturday, after wrapping up a week-long diplomatic trip to the Middle East and Europe.
During the last leg of his trip, Obama met with Saudi King Abdullah.
Their meeting near Riyadh, on Friday, focused mostly on tensions spawned by Syria's civil war and Iran's nuclear program.
Before leaving Riyadh, the president presented the U.S. State Department's Women of Courage award to Maha al-Muneef. He honored the Saudi activist for her role in combating domestic violence.
"Dr. al-Muneef has been able to not only set up services here in the Kingdom but also more importantly in some ways, been able to pass laws providing protections for women and children for domestic abuse and to provide a safe space and shelter for those who are suffering from domestic abuse," he said.
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called Obama to discuss a U.S. proposal for resolving the crisis in Ukraine.
The White House says Obama suggested that Putin offer a written response to a diplomatic solution that Secretary of State John Kerry presented to his Russian counterpart earlier in the week.
In an interview aired on CBS, Friday, Obama said Russia's military moves near the Ukrainian border may be an effort to intimidate Ukraine.
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.
Obama will make a brief stop in Germany before returning to Washington late Saturday.
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