(VOVworld) – After weeks of accusing Moscow of trying to prop up Syrian President Bashar Assad by bombing US-backed rebels, US President Barack Obama changed his tune on Wednesday, praising Vladimir Putin as a "constructive partner" in the nascent diplomatic effort to resolve Syria's civil war.

President Barack Obama talks with his Russian counterpart at the G20 summit in Antalya, Turkey on Nov. 16th. (Photo: Reuters)

Speaking on the sidelines of a summit in the Philippines, Obama even raised the prospect of military coordination with Russia.

Obama suggested that Russia might be reorienting its military campaign in Syria toward IS targets following the downing of a Russian jet in Egypt.

Obama’s statement is considered a positive sign as relations between Russia and the US in particular and between Russia and the West generally is currently at the lowest level since the Cold War and the Ukrainian crisis.

However the Pentagon also announced that Washington had no plans to coordinate with Moscow to conduct air raids against IS in Syria.