The US president, Barack Obama, has urged greater efforts to end violence in war-torn Syria in brief talks with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, as concern mounts over a ferocious regime bombing campaign in rebel-held parts of Aleppo. Syrian government forces last Tuesday launched a bid to retake the eastern rebel-held side of Aleppo using airstrikes, barrel bombs and artillery. In the four-minute conversation with Putin, Obama also urged Russia to uphold commitments related to the frayed Minsk peace accords that were aimed at ending conflict in eastern Ukraine. “The president urged President Putin to uphold Russia’s commitments under the Minsk agreements, underscoring the US and our partners’ commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty,” said the White House official. Trump has expressed admiration for Putin, calling him a better leader than Obama and saying he would have a “very, very good relationship” with him.

Source: The Guardian November 20, 2016 20:46 UTC