Kremlin: Trump and Putin Will Discuss Iran's Presence in Syria

A senior Kremlin aide said on Friday, July 13, that Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump will discuss Iran's presence in Syria during their meeting in Helsinki, Finland. According to Agence France-Presse, Yuri Ushakov, foreign affairs advisor to the Russian President, stated in a conversation with reporters that one of the main topics of discussion will be the situation in Syria, considering Iran's military presence in the country. Russia and Iran are considered the main supporters of Bashar al-Assad's government in the Syrian civil war. The United States, Israel, and several Arab countries in the region are calling for a reduction of Iran's influence in Syria, and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has emphasized the need to end Iran's military presence in Syria. In this context, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who visited Moscow, told the Russian President that his clear message is that his country opposes any Iranian presence in Syria. Meanwhile, Ali Akbar Velayati, advisor to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic on international affairs, who met with Vladimir Putin after the Israeli Prime Minister, said on Friday in Moscow, 'We will only leave this country if the Syrian officials tell Iran that they no longer need our military advice. Iranian military advisors stationed in Syria and Iraq are present at the request of their governments and legally in these countries.' The civil war in Syria has left hundreds of thousands dead and millions displaced. Yuri Ushakov also referred to the meeting of the U.S. and Russian leaders on Monday as the most important event of the summer. According to Reuters, he expressed hope that the one-day negotiations between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin would pave the way for a visit by the U.S. President to Russia. This senior Kremlin aide added that discussions about a trip to Moscow or Washington might be raised. Ushakov stated, 'We hope this negotiation will create space for further contacts, especially normal relations and visits to our country.' According to this Kremlin official, in part of the negotiations held at the Presidential Palace in Finland, the two leaders will talk privately with the presence of two interpreters. Ushakov also emphasized that other international issues and crises, including North Korea, Ukraine, and the Iran nuclear deal, will be on the negotiation table. The U.S. and Russia have disagreements on issues such as Ukraine, Syria, and Iran. Meanwhile, on the eve of the leaders' meeting, the U.S. Department of Justice has charged 12 Russian security officers for hacking the Democratic National Committee during the 2016 presidential election. The Department of Justice states that officers from the Russian military intelligence agency hacked the computer networks of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Democratic National Committee, and Hillary Clinton's campaign, and published some information online under various titles. In response to this action, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that there is no document or evidence regarding the relationship of these 12 Russian citizens with the military intelligence or hacking the Democrats' computer network. On the other hand, Democrats in the Senate and House of Representatives have called for the cancellation of Donald Trump's meeting with Vladimir Putin in light of the charges against these 12 Russian citizens. However, Sarah Sanders, White House spokesperson, stated on Friday that the meeting of the U.S. and Russian presidents will proceed as previously scheduled.