Obama also said the two countries “haven’t yet closed the gaps” that remain to reach a meaningful ceasefire deal for Syria but said that they had a productive conversation.
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Both Russian and United States officials said the meeting – which was held in a conference room at the G20 summit site here – lasted longer than planned, and that leaders spent the bulk of their meeting discussing Syria.
Kalin said that Putin told Erdogan in China that the operation, which has now lasted two weeks, had his “full support”.
Putin insisted he believed a deal with Washington could be firmed up in the “coming days” but refused to give concrete details, saying that USA and Russian officials are still “working out some of our preliminary agreements”.
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.
German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said the main topics were the civil war in Syria, especially the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Aleppo, and the situation in eastern Ukraine. The official said the private discussion also covered U.S. concerns over cybersecurity and the situation in Ukraine.
The meeting came hours after American and Russian diplomats failed to seal an agreement aimed at providing access to humanitarian aid for thousands of Syrians.
“The meeting lasted longer than planned”. Kerry said the USA wanted a deal with the best chance for survival.
USA officials have said that as part of a deal, Russian Federation would have to halt offensives by Assad’s government, something it has failed to do over months of diplomatic efforts.
He added: “Now in this summit, to all of our friends, we have brought up this issue and told them this”.
Relations between London and Moscow have deteriorated in past years over their differences on the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.
But the minister went on to say Assad’s history did not inspire optimism about implementation of any agreement. The two sides said then that they were “close” to agreement and that military and intelligence teams from both sides were ironing out “technical details”. The package would include provisions so aid can reach besieged areas of Syria and measures to prevent Assad’s government from bombing areas where US -backed rebels are operating.
On opposing sides of many global issues, the US and Russian Federation are nonetheless trying to broker a deal to address the Syrian civil war and perhaps even partner militarily there.
Mr Obama did not detail the trouble spots, although he suggested the U.S. has concerns about Russian Federation holding up its end of the bargain and enforcing the terms. The State Department has said it wants nationwide cease-fire between Assad’s military and the rebels, rather than another time-limited agreement like ones that failed before.
Obama’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping also veered into delicate territory, with a lengthy White House description detailing how Obama had pressed Xi to abide by an global tribunal’s ruling against China over the South China Sea. Upon Obama’s arrival, social media exploded with speculation China had slighted Obama after there was no staircase awaiting him on the tarmac, forcing the president to deplane through a set of internal stairs he rarely uses.
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Obama’s next stop was another one-party communist country with a dismal rights record: Laos, where mysterious disappearances have fueled concerns about a government crackdown.
