Tillerson Says Trump, Putin to Seek Common Ground Over Syria
- Cease-fire, safe-zone idea will be raised in Hamburg meeting
- Overture signals willingness for improved ties with Putin
Trump to Meet Putin for First Time as President
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President Donald Trump will raise the possibility of U.S. and Russian cooperation on easing the Syria conflict when he meets his Russian counterpart in Hamburg, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said.
Tillerson’s statement -- coming just two days before Trump and Putin meet in Germany -- reflects a U.S. determination to avoid getting too deeply embroiled in maintaining the peace in Syria while also signaling a willingness for improved ties with Russia, which entered the Syria conflict in 2015 on behalf of Syrian President Bashar al Assad. It’s also the most detailed description yet of a topic the two leaders will discuss.