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Putin supports the regime of Bashar al-Assad, which is also strongly backed by Iran.

The United States and Russia have reached agreement on a cease-fire in southwest Syria, three US officials said as President Donald Trump held his first meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

FORGET the staged handshake and forced smile for the cameras.

The US information campaign on Syria is a warning sign that an American-led intervention may be in the works, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

A US jet has shot down an Iranian-made drone operated by forces backing the Syrian government in the south of the country, American officials say.

Downing the military jet within Syrian airspace “cynically” violates the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic, Russian military said.

The US-led coalition has downed a government warplane in southern Syria, the Syrian army and coalition have announced in separate statements. The Syrian military added that the plane’s pilot is now missing.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday it is checking on information indicating that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was reportedly killed in a Russia-led airstrike in Syria.

The two leaders met for the first time and their talks lasted almost three hours.

During last week’s meeting in Washington with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Jones said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that “Russia must now, with great urgency, exercise its great influence over the Syrian regime.”

Despite his criticism, Assad once again confirmed the readiness of the Syrian government to cooperate with the US if it could change its attitude towards respecting other countries’ sovereignty and that of Syria in particular.

Chemical samples match 'signature' of nerve gas made by Syrian regime, declassified report says

Moscow criticized the US for its military action, calling it rushed, illegal and potentially playing into the hands of terrorists.

Eric Trump added during his own interview that he, too, felt the Syrian attack was "horrible."

VLADIMIR Putin says Russia has information that the United States is planning to launch new missile strikes on Syria, and that there were plans for the US to fake chemical weapons attacks there.

Washington claimed it is where Syrian jets allegedly carrying chemical weapons munitions took off to launch an assault on a rebel-held town in Idlib Province on April 4. Damascus denied the allegations.

Canada is open to more sanctions against Russia for its support of Syrian regime, PM says

A joint command centre made up of forces from Russia, Iran and militias backing Syrian President Bashar al Assad threatened reprisals against any party that carries out "aggression" against Syria, two days after US missiles hit a Syrian air base.

RUSSIA has suspended communication on a specialised military hotline designed to prevent conflict with the US following air strikes in Syria.