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US, Russia to stay in contact over Syria

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Politics
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Obama and Putin briefly exchanged words on Syria and Ukraine at the start of the APEC summit in Peru on Sunday

US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to have their foreign ministers stay in contact to reduce violence in Syria.

Obama and Putin briefly exchanged words on Syria and Ukraine at the start of the APEC summit in Peru on Sunday.

The 2 countries' governments say Obama told Putin the countries need to lead efforts to turn things around in Syria, where attacks are intensifying in the northern city of Aleppo.

Putin stressed the need to keep working to stop the fighting in Syria until Obama leaves office in 2 months.

The 2 reportedly agreed that US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will remain in touch over the issue.

The Obama administration has been blaming Russia's airstrikes in Syria for the rising number of civilian deaths.

Putin apparently hopes the United States will change its policy toward Russia after president-elect Donald Trump takes office. Trump has expressed willingness to work with the country to fight terrorism.