Trump, Putin look to work together on Syria
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled improving prospects for cooperation in Syria in what the White House called a "very good" phone discussion that included a focus on setting up safe zones in the war-torn nation.
The call marked the first time Trump and Putin have spoken since the U.S. launched missiles against an air base in Syria, an attack that outraged Russia, one of the Syrian government's strongest backers.
The U.S. military action sparked new tensions between Washington and Moscow, with top U.S. officials sharply condemning Putin's continued support for embattled Syrian leader Bashar Assad.
The White House announced it would send a top State Department official to Russian-led talks on Syria that begin Wednesday in Kazakhstan.
Since taking office, Trump has been raising the prospect of safe zones in Syria with world leaders.
Hillary Clinton, Trump's vanquished Democratic opponent, said during a speaking appearance Tuesday that she was "on the way to winning" the election until "intervening events" in the campaign's final days, including the WikiLeaks' release of hacked emails from one of her top advisers.