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Trump urges Russia to halt support for Iran and Syria

While Trump urged Russia to cease support for Syria and Iran, US Secretary of State Tillerson stressed openness to cooperation with Russia in Syria. 

US President Donald Trump called upon Russia to end its support for Syria and Iran while addressing the Polish people at a memorial for the Warsaw uprising during the Nazi occupation of Poland.

“We urge Russia to cease its destabilizing activities in Ukraine and elsewhere and its support for hostile regimes including Syria and Iran, and to instead join the community of responsible nations in our fight against common enemies and the defense of civilization itself,” Trump said.

Trump made his remarks on the eve of his first face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany in which both leaders are expected to touch upon issues and policies with each other over Ukraine and Syria.

Despite the Trump administration’s opposition to Russia’s support for the Syrian government, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that the United States is open to further cooperation with Russia in managing the ongoing civil war in Syria.

“The United States and Russia certainly have unresolved differences on a number of issues, but we have the potential to appropriately coordinate in Syria in order to produce stability and serve our mutual security interests,” Tillerson said on Wednesday before departing to the G20 summit.

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“The United States and Russia have already achieved progress in establishing de-confliction zones in Syria that have prevented mutual collateral damage,” he noted.

“This cooperation over de-confliction zones process is evidence that our two nations are capable of further progress.”

Tillerson also spoke of a hope to see both superpowers implement no-fly zones together.

“The United States is prepared to explore the possibility of establishing with Russia joint mechanisms for ensuring stability, including no-fly zones, on the ground ceasefire observers, and coordinated delivery of humanitarian assistance,” Tillerson added.

By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News