Putin’s persistent support for the Syrian regime, Moscow’s moves in Ukraine and the charge that Russian Federation may be meddling in the United States presidential contest have built a deeply antagonistic dynamic between the two leaders. Obama said he would ask his aides to assess whether a “constructive” meeting was still possible in Laos with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.
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Speaking in China, Obama said: “We had some productive talks about what a cessation of hostilities would look like for Russian Federation and the U.S.to focus on our common enemies”, he said.
Erdogan said he reiterated his plan for a “safe zone” in the 90-kilometer (56-mile) area during talks with US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the G20 summit in China.
The two leaders conversed on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit here for ninety minutes, a senior United States official said, and worked to clarify gaps in negotiations over on the Syrian crisis.
Obama described the talk with Putin as “candid, blunt and businesslike”.
At a news conference, Obama said the breakdown of a previous cessation of hostilities agreement had prompted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to resume bombing opposition forces “with impunity”.
“We are working for this region to be declared no-fly zone”, Erdogan said at the G20 meeting in China, referring to the land extending from Jarabulus to Azaz in northern Syria seized from IS jihadists.
The deal depends on the two sides agreeing to closer military coordination against extremist groups operating in Syria, something the Russians have long sought and the US resisted.
But beyond the Islamic State group and al-Qaida, the two powers have conflicting views about who fits in that category – as well as a deep and mutual distrust that the other party will hold up its end of the bargain.
“That is a very risky dynamic”, Obama said. Xi and Obama jointly announced on Saturday, the eve of the summit, that they had agreed to join the Paris Agreement on climate change. While refusing to directly address the matter, it was clear these comments were related to Democratic Party allegations that Russian Federation is attempting to hack the U.S. election.
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The US hopes to align with Russian Federation to identify terrorist targets, including ISIS and the Nusra Front, a group formerly tied to al-Qaeda. “It is indisputable that it would create a better deal for us than the status quo”, Obama said.
