Putin says Russian Federation has no plans to deploy combat troops in Syria

Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani, speaking on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, said removing Mr Assad could turn Syria into a safe haven for extremists.

President Bashar al-Assad’s key backers declared victory on Sunday night after Western leaders who had previously backed Syrian rebels, including David Cameron, said they accepted he would stay in power, at least for the time being.

USA officials said the situation in Ukraine consumed about half of Obama’s meeting with Putin.

Mr Cameron, who will address a sustainable development summit ahead of the main General Assembly meeting, will also urge other leaders to do more to support the millions of refugees still in the region.

Russian Federation has shown no indication that it could dump its support for Assad, whom it has shielded from U.N. sanctions and continued to provide with weapons throughout the nation’s more than four-year civil war.

“I don’t think so at all“, Putin told Rose, noting that certain political candidates were just playing politics when they claim he thinks Obama is weak.

But the de facto alliance of Russian Federation, Syria, Iran, and Iraq will strengthen the hand of President Assad as the U.S.is being shunted to the side in the fight against ISIS.

Mr Cameron’s reference to Mr Assad not playing a part in Syria’s “long-term” future, made in answer to a question about him having an interim role, is a signal that the United Kingdom is open to the same option, though the prime minister said he was “not going to speculate” on whether it might happen.

Iraq’s military said on September 27 that it will coordinate with Russian Federation, Iran and Syria on “security and intelligence” details in the ongoing battle against Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL).

France has been firing airstrikes on IS extremists in Iraq as part of the U.S.-led coalition since a year ago, but has previously restrained from attacks in Syria in order to avoid strengthening President Bashar al-Assad.

Obama and Putin haven’t seen eye to eye since the beginning of their relationship.

“But we are considering intensifying our work with both President Assad and with our partners in other countries”, he warned.

In preparation for Obama’s meeting with Putin, Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday discussed Russia’s military involvement in Syria, including the possibility of a political transition in the war-torn country, according to a senior US official. Mr Stoltenberg said there was now need for “co-ordination” with Russian Federation to avoid “incident or accident” as US-led forces fought Isil in the country.

Britain’s opposition Labour Party will on Monday call for the Syrian government to be referred to the global Criminal Court for suspected war crimes.

The USA president condemned nations that believe “might makes right”, and sought instead to highlight the benefits of diplomacy.