Obama, Putin meet on G20 sidelines over Syria, Ukraine

“I really hope that if we reach an agreement – and I have grounds to believe that it can happen in the next few days – we will be able to talk about significantly improving and intensifying our cooperation with the United States on fighting terrorist organisations, including those operating in Syria”, Putin said.

He said they discussed “a range of issues”, the two most important being how to cease violence in Syria and provide humanitarian relief.

“Despite everything, we have some alignment of positions and an understanding of what we could do to de-escalate the situation in Syria”, Putin said at a press conference following the G20 summit in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou on Monday.

Obama said he would not comment on “specific investigations that are still live and active”, an apparent reference to a computer breach of the Democratic National Committee, which some US officials have blamed on Russian Federation.

The US president, on his part, said easing the humanitarian situation in Syria would pave the way for a political solution, adding that a settlement of the crisis would include all parties directly or indirectly involved in the conflict.

While Obama said in a press conference he would not comment on specific open investigations, he said, “We’ve had problems with cyber intrusions from Russian Federation in the past”.

Obama said “the typical the tone of our meetings are candid, blunt and businesslike and this one was no different”. “But given the gaps of trust that exist, that’s a tough negotiation, and we haven’t yet closed the gaps in a way where we think it would actually work”.

A U.S. official said “differences remain” despite two rounds of talks between Secretary of State John Kerry and his counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the summit.

“We are also discussing what can be done to focus on al Nusra and ISIL”, the official added, using an alternative acronym for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria terror group.

It follows equally unsuccessful talks between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry.