U.S. officials are voicing pessimism about the prospect of a peace and power-sharing agreement in South Sudan as President Barack Obama prepares to hold talks on the crisis with African leaders.
Obama's meeting in Ethiopia on Monday comes as an Aug. 17 deadline to reach a deal approaches.
Senior Obama administration officials say if there's no agreement, the U.S. and other nations would deepen pressure on South Sudan's warring factions, possibly through increased sanctions and the pursuit of an arms embargo.