Trump to meet top Putin aide as US and Russia unite to quell North Korean WW3 tensions – Express.co.uk

The President is set to meet Sergei Lavrov, Vladimir Putins foreign minister and a highly regarded member of his cabinet, in Washington DC.

A senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Syria, US-Russian relations and other global issues would be high on the agenda.

Relations between the United States and Russia have struggled after President Trump rained down 59 Tomahawk missiles on a Syrian airfield in response to a chemical weaponsstrike carried out by Bashar al-Assad on his own citizens.

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Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have also hinted they plan to team up in an effort to bring an end to the chaos in North Korea.

The leaders of the US and Russia spoke on the phone last week, according to a White House spokesperson.

It marks the third time the pair have spoken since Donald Trump became President in January, with the pair agreeing to meet face-to-face for the first time when they both attend the next G20 summit in July.

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The two leaders agreed they must work together to end the threat posed by North Korea and its despotic leader Kim Jong-un, a White House spokesman said.

They also discussed the Middle East, agreeing "all parties must do all they can to end the violence" and threat posed by Islamic terrorists.

The spokesperson added: "The conversation was a very good one, and included the discussion of safe, or de-escalation, zones to achieve lasting peace for humanitarian and many other reasons.

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Kremlin officials said the call was "business-like" and "constructive".

Moscow added the Russian leader urged President Trump to "show restraint" with North Korea and instead focus on working together.

A spokesperson for president Putin said: "The dangerous situation on the Korean peninsula was thoroughly discussed.

The President of Russia called for restraint and an easing of tensions. It was agreed to organise joint work aimed at achieving diplomatic solutions and a comprehensive settlement of the problem.

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Trump to meet top Putin aide as US and Russia unite to quell North Korean WW3 tensions - Express.co.uk