Russia invites Trump administration to Syria talks

Russia has invited the incoming Trump administration to Syrian peace talks it is sponsoring this month with Turkey and Iran, part of a process from which President Barack Obama's administration has been excluded.

U.S. participation, especially if an agreement is reached, would be the first indication of the enhanced U.S.-Russia cooperation that President Vladimir Putin and President-elect Donald Trump have forecast under a Trump administration.

The invitation, extended to Trump's designated national security adviser, Michael Flynn, came in a Dec. 28 phone call to Flynn by Sergey Kislyak, Russia's ambassador in Washington, according to a transition official.