United States and Russia push for Syrian peace at G8 Summit

Russia and the United States agreed at a G8 summit Monday to push for Syria peace talks, even if Presidents Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama made clear their deep differences over the conflict.

Gathered with other leaders of the world’s top industrialised countries in Northern Ireland, Obama and Putin told reporters after face-to-face talks that they would continue to push for a proposed Syria peace conference in Geneva.

“Of course our opinions do not converge, but all of us have the intention of stopping the violence in Syria,” Putin said at a joint press conference.

“We agreed to push the parties to the negotiating table,” Putin said.

“With respect to Syria we do have different perspectives on the problem, but we share an interest in reducing the violence,” Obama said, adding that both countries “want to try to resolve the issue through political means if possible.”