Putin, Trump hold first talks since U.S. airstrikes in Syria

Russian President Putin and U.S. President Trump discussed coordinating efforts in fighting terrorism in Syria, the North Korean situation and organizing a meeting ahead of the upcoming G20 summit, the Kremlin’s press service reported following their May 2 phone conversation. Western media reports said they’d work towards a ceasefire in Syria in what was their first direct communication since the U.S. airstrikes in Syria a month ago.

Zenon Zawada: What’s most noteworthy for us is that Ukraine was absent from any media and public reports on their conversation. This indicates that Putin has essentially reached an unspoken agreement on a stalemate in Ukraine with not only Merkel, whom he met that day, but also with Trump.

The lack of mention of Ukraine also confirms that Trump will not be looking for a breakthrough in relations with Russia (such as relaxing sanctions), indicating that neo-conservatives have gained a strong foothold in his foreign policy.