Trump to speak to Putin by phone today to discuss Syria crisis

Donald Trump will speak by telephone with Vladimir Putin today to discuss the ongoing crisis in Syria.

The US president, who has been accused of collusion with Russia, has said relationships between the two countries “may be at an all-time low” over Russia’s support for Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad.

“We’re not getting along with Russia at all,” Trump said after Russia vetoed a US-backed resolution on Syria at the UN security council.

After a US missile attack on a Syrian airbase, Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev said the strikes were illegal and had been “one step away from military clashes with Russia”.

The leaders are scheduled to speak at 12:30pm ET (4.30pm UK time), and Syria is likely to be discussed, the White House and Kremlin said.

Trump ordered the air strike on a Syria last month in following a deadly poison gas attack on civilians blamed on Assad’s government.

Russia denied the Syrian government was responsible for the sarin attack, which killed 90 people.

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Prior to that, on January 28, the two presidents discussed how to defeat Isis after Putin called to congratulate Trump on his presidential victory.

In March, FBI director James Comey publicly confirmed that the agency has been investigating possible links between Donald Trump’s election team and Russia’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 US election.

Mr Comey said the investigation includes the nature of any links between individuals associated with Mr Trump‘s campaign and the Russian government, and whether there was any co-ordination between Russian efforts and the campaign.

The investigation will also look at whether crimes were committed.

Mr Comey refused to put a timeframe on the investigation. He told the House Intelligence Committee: “This work is very complex, and there is no way for me to give you a timetable for when it will be done.”