ANTALYA, Turkey (AP) — President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin traded views on Syria’s civil war and broached the tense topic of Ukraine during an impromptu sit-down Sunday in Turkey, American and Russian officials said.he roughly 35-minute meeting played out on the sidelines of the Group of 20 economic summit, which brings together leaders from major rich and developing nations. The White House said they discussed a new proposal to end the Syrian conflict and Obama’s hope that Russia’s airstrikes in Syria will focus on IS, not opposition groups fighting Syrian President Bashar Assad.
American-Russian Agreement
The U.S. also said Obama and Putin had agreed that Syria needs a political transition led by Syrians, preceded by negotiations mediated by the United Nations and a cease-fire. Obama and Putin have long been at odds about whether Assad can maintain a role following that transition. Obama also renewed his call for Russia to withdraw forces, weapons and support for pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine, the White House said. Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, told reporters that Putin and Obama had a «quite detailed conversation,» with Syria taking most of the time. He said they talked about the terror attacks in Paris and other terrorism-related issues.
Meeting Closely Watched
-Strategic goals related to fighting the ISIL are very close, but tactical differences remain, Ushakov said. Obama’s run-ins with Putin, his longtime antagonist, are always closely watched affairs, with analysts trying to discern their level of animosity based on body language. On video provided by host country Turkey, the two leaders could be spotted leaning in close to one another and chatting in casual fashion, joined by Obama’s national security adviser Susan Rice and a translator. Although their meeting wasn’t scheduled in advance, White House officials had suggested it was likely the two would find time to chat during the two-day summit. The two last met in September in New York during the U.N. General Assembly. U.S. President Barack Obama,( right on the picture), speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, back to camera, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, after a group photo with other leaders for the G-20 Summit in Antalya, Turkey, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015. The 2015 G-20 Leaders Summit is held near the Turkish Mediterranean coastal city of Antalya on Nov. 15-16, 2015, photo by Aykut Unlupinar/Anadolu Agency via AP, Pool, reports Associated Press
Renewed Islamic State fight
-Jolted to attention by a horrifying terror spree in Paris, world leaders pledged a renewed fight Sunday against the Islamic State group, but offered little in the way of a revamped counter-terrorism strategy. Instead, President Barack Obama sought to encourage his allies in the fight to intensify the types of efforts that have thus far proven unsuccessful in routing the extremist threat, reports AP. Security officials stand guard as they wait for the plane carrying US President Barack Obama to land in Antalya, Turkey, Sunday, Nov. 15 2015 for the G-20 summit(See picture). The 2015 G-20 Leaders Summit is held near the Turkish Mediterranean coastal city of Antalya on Nov. 15-16, 2015. (Ali Atmaca/Anadolu Agency via AP, Pool)
