Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump back Syria peace plans during brief APEC meeting

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Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump back Syria peace plans during brief APEC meeting

By Ilya Arkhipov
Updated

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US leader Donald Trump agreed to support a political reconciliation in Syria with the participation of Bashar el-Assad while maintaining the existing two-nation communication channels used to fight Islamic State.

The leaders are satisfied with the "successful US-Russia" military efforts that have "dramatically accelerated" the group's battlefield losses, according to a joint statement issued after the leaders met briefly on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vietnam.

"These efforts will continue until the final defeat of Islamic State," according to the statement. A US official who requested anonymity said the joint statement shows both leaders back a political solution and peace process.

The joint efforts have weakened Islamic State, leading to its defeat earlier this month in the last major foothold in Syria. While Russian support has kept Assad in power, helping Putin expand Russian clout across the region, the US is seeking to have influence in any plan to help the nation recover from years of civil war.

US President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin talk during the family photo session at the APEC Summit in Danang, Vietnam.

US President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin talk during the family photo session at the APEC Summit in Danang, Vietnam.Credit: AP

"There is no military solution to the conflict in Syria," according to the statement. "The ultimate political solution to the conflict must be forged through the Geneva process" under United Nations resolutions.

The US official, speaking to reporters at a briefing in Danang, said Russia and the US agreed to get Assad to the peace process in Geneva.

The leaders reaffirmed the importance of de-escalation zones as an interim measure to reduce violence in Syria and called upon all UN member states to increase their contribution to meeting humanitarian needs in the country. The US official said additional agreements with Jordan had strengthened one zone in the south.

Putin had expected to meet with Trump at the Asia summit in Danang, but Trump ducked a formal meeting. The two did speak for a few minutes while walking to a group photo session on Saturday. Russian Foreign Minster Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson did meet on Saturday.

Bloomberg

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