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US willing to cooperate with Russia on Ukraine and Syria — White House

Barack Obama is looking forward to discussing these issues with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Deputy national security adviser says

WASHINGTON, September 25. /TASS/. The United States is open to cooperation with Russia on Ukraine and Syria, Deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters on a conference call on Thursday.

Commenting to reporters on President Barack Obama’s forthcoming participation in the UN General Assembly session, Rhodes said the United States is open to cooperation with Russia on such important issues as Ukraine and Syria. He said the US president was looking forward to discussing these issues with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Rhodes confirmed that the meeting of the two countries’ leaders will be held on Monday, September 28.

According to him, it would be irresponsible not to hold a meeting with the Russian leader, given multiple international crises. "President Obama was urged to have this meeting with president Putin by some of our closest European allies," Rhodes said. "We will be measuring the outcome of this meeting not only by the nature of their discussions but by what follows."

Celeste Wallander, senior director for Russia and Eurasia on the National Security Council, said that the meeting in New York would focus on the situation in Ukraine, which remains a serious concern for the American administration, as well as on Russia's actions in Syria.

On Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists, "The [Putin-Obama] meeting will take place on mutual agreement." Peskov said the meeting would last from 50 to 60 minutes after Putin’s speech at the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 28.