The Story:
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed on a major issue in regards to the conflict in Syria, according to a Kremlin statement.
The duo have “agreed that the conflict in Syria has no military solution”. No official statement has been issued by the United States.
Why It Matters:
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Russia and the United States are at loggerheads because of alleged and reported meddling by Russian government-related agencies in last year’s U.S. Presidential Elections 2016.
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President Trump signed a bill in August taking tough measures against the Russian nation.
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It took a 7-year civil strife in Syria to make Trump and Putin see eye to eye, at least on the matter of precluding a military solution.
The Nuts and Bolts:
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Unlike during Obama’s presidency, the Trump administration has not said that Mr. Assad’s exit would be a precondition to initiating peace talks.
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The president called the law “seriously” flawed in that it restricts his ability to ease penalties, saying that it was “unconstitutional.”
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Though not taking as firm a stand as the previous Democratic administration against Assad, Trump did authorize a cruise missile strike on a government base in Syria earlier this year after a chemical weapons attack.
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Putin and Trump met no less that three times in 24 hours in Da Nang, Vietnam, at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
What it Means:
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America’s relationship with Russia has been spiraling downward since news of the latter meddling with the former’s elections broke, and it is now at an all-time low.
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The agreement on the matter of Syria may not be a ground-breaking one for U.S.-Russia relations, but it is very significant as far as the war-torn Syrian nation is concerned.
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Source: BBC
