Trump, Putin to Coordinate on ISIS in Syria
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin reportedly discussed military cooperation against the Islamic State terror group during a phone call on Saturday.
According to a statement released by the Kremlin, the two leaders agreed to establish “real coordination” to “crush ISIS and other terrorist groups in Syria.”
No statement has yet been issued by the White House. However, President Trump signed an Executive Order late in the day that he told media was the “plan to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria — in other words, ISIS. A plan that is going to be very successful.”
The Kremlin also said the two presidents discussed “major aspects of the Ukrainian crisis,” and the “possible dates and venue of their personal meeting,” according to a report by USA Today. They also agreed to “maintain regular personal contacts.”
The Pentagon and Russian military have established and maintained communications to prevent accidents between warplanes over Syria.
Israel and Moscow have done the same, ensuring the Israeli Air Force reconnaissance aircraft do not end up tangling with Russian Air Force fighter jets.
Also on Saturday, President Trump spoke with Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande. On Saturday night he was scheduled to speak with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis is set to travel to Japan and South Korea this week. PM Abe is expected to meet President Trump at the White House on February 10.