Obama: Talks With Russia Over Syria Strategy Suffer From ‘Gaps Of Trust’

US President Barack Obama on Monday said an agreement with Russian Federation on ending the violence in Syria is being hampered by “gaps of trust” between the two governments.

Obama described his meeting with Putin as “businesslike” and said they discussed ongoing negotiations between their top diplomats over Syria.

Mr Obama said the aim was to reach “meaningful, serious, verifiable cessations of hostilities in Syria”. Deep divides over Syria have marred Obama’s relationship with Putin, adding to a litany of discord between the United States and Russian Federation that’s driven relations to their lowest level since the Cold War. Obama urged Kerry and Lavrov to work together in the coming days to get aid to those in need.

Obama and his Russian counterpart Putin met on Monday as talks between their governments on ending violence in Syria ended without an agreement.

“Against all odds we have a certain rapprochement and understanding of what we might do to ease tensions in Syria and achieve mutually acceptable solutions”, TASS quoted Putin as saying.

Reuters said that Mr Putin said on Monday that an agreement with the USA on finding a way to significantly reduce the death toll in Syria could be reached in the next few days.

“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.

At the press conference Monday, Obama also addressed concerns about cybersecurity, acknowledging that the US has “had problems with cyber intrusions” from Russian Federation and other countries.

“We could, at least for a period of time, agree on mutual and active efforts to recover the situation in Syria”, the president said, stressing that any moves should be taken in consultation with the Syrian government.