Trump avoids topic of sanctions in conversation with Putin

The matter of US-imposed sanctions on Russia didn’t come up during US President Donald Trump’s first phone call with the Russian President Vladimir Putin, the White House spokesman Sean Spicer said.

In a brief statement, the White House said the discussion was “a significant start to improving the relationship between the United States and Russia that is in need of repair.”

The two leaders discussed “a range in topics from mutual cooperation in defeating ISIS to efforts in working together to achieve more peace throughout the world including Syria,” the White House statement said.

The White House official who spoke after the statement was issued said Putin brought up several times that Islamic terrorism was a “common foe” for the U.S. and Russia. The official was not authorized to disclose details of the call by name and insisted on anonymity.