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Putin, Trump discuss Syria in hour-plus call

November 22, 2017

The presidents of Russia and the US spoke about the situation in Syria and a coordination of anti-terror efforts in a call that lasted for over an hour. Also on the agenda were the conflict in Ukraine and North Korea.

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US President Donald Trump (right) and Russia's President Vladimir Putin
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Silva

US President Donald Trump described the conversation with the Kremlin chief as a "great call" and said the two leaders spoke "very strongly about bringing peace to Syria." 

During the call on Tuesday, the Russian president told Trump of "the main results" of his earlier meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad, the Kremlin said. Putin had discussed the civil war with the Syrian leader in Sochi on Monday.

Read more: Syria conflict — What do the US, Russia, Turkey and Iran want?

Moscow also said that, while talking to Trump, Putin "stressed Russia's willingness to actively facilitate" a settlement in Syria. He also noted the "need to keep Syria's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity intact."

The White House similarly said that "the stability of a unified Syria" should be ensured, and that the UN-led efforts should aim to "peacefully resolve the Syrian civil war, end the humanitarian crisis, allow displaced Syrians to return home and ensure the stability of a unified Syria free of malign intervention and terrorist safe havens."

However, neither the US nor Russia mentioned the future of Assad's regime, which has proven to be a major obstacle in achieving peace.

Putin meets with Assad in Sochi

Putin's diplomatic offensive

The call comes after the two leaders briefly discussed Syria earlier this month, when they both attended the APEC summit in Vietnam. Both the US and Russia are militarily engaged in the Syrian war.

Read more: Trump and Putin 'agree on Syria,' brush off election meddling

Trump and Putin also discussed possible joint efforts against terror groups in Syria and elsewhere, targeting groups including the "Islamic State," al-Qaida and the Taliban.

The leaders also talked about ways to achieve a "lasting peace" in Ukraine and efforts to put more pressure on North Korea over its nuclear arsenal.

In addition to the phone call with Trump, Putin also contacted Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, promoting Russia's initiative to bring Assad's regime and the opposition groups together for a "congress."

dj/cmk (AP, Interfax, Reuters, dpa, AFP)