WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin said on Saturday they are satisfied with the communication between their militaries, which has “dramatically” accelerated the losses of the Islamic State (IS) on the battlefield in recent months.
In a joint statement issued after their meeting on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Da Nang, Vietnam on Saturday, the two leaders confirmed their determination to defeat IS in Syria.
According to the statement, which is posted on the website of the U.S. State Department, they agreed to maintain open channels of communication between the two militaries to help ensure the safety of U.S. and Russian forces engaged in the fight against the IS until its final defeat.
“There is no military solution to the conflict in Syria,” read the statement, adding that the two leaders confirmed that “the ultimate political solution to the conflict must be forged through the Geneva process.”
They affirmed that these steps must include the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, constitutional reform and free and fair elections under UN supervision, “with all Syrians, including members of the diaspora, eligible to participate.” (Xinhua)