(VOVWORLD) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that US President Donald Trump listened to him and was keen to improve battered US-Russia ties despite the complicated domestic political situation in the US.
 Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump (Photo: AFP/VNA) |
Putin, who was speaking at a forum in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, said he had a completely normal and professional dialogue with Trump, adding that he thinks Trump wants to stabilize the troubled relationship between the two countries and said it is not true that Trump only listens to himself. Putin said they disagreed about many things, but that is normal in discussions between foreign leaders.
President Putin also said Islamic State militants have seized 700 hostages in the part of Syria controlled by US-backed forces and have executed some of them. The hostages include several US and European nationals, he said, adding that the Islamic State is expanding its control of territory on the left bank of the Euphrates River, which is controlled by US and US-backed forces.