No changes in Syria after Putin-Trump summit: U.S. general

A top U.S. general said on Thursday he had not received any new guidance about the war in Syria, four days after the conflict was discussed in a closed-door meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump and Putin both praised U.S.-Russia military ties and spoke vaguely about Syria to reporters on Monday after their talks in Helsinki, Finland, noting shared concerns for the security of Syria’s neighbor, Israel.

Russia’s envoy to the United Nations was even quoted as saying on Thursday that the summit “will positively affect efforts to resolve the Syrian conflict.”

Still, U.S. Army General Joseph Votel, who as the head of Central Command oversees U.S. military forces in the Middle East, said there was “no new guidance for me as a result of the Helsinki discussions as of yet.”

A top U.S. general said on Thursday he had not received any new guidance about the war in Syria, four days after the conflict was discussed in a closed-door meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.