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Putin: Russia could join air strikes against Islamic State

Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin discussed the possibility of Russian involvement in the military campaign against the so-called Islamic State (IS) during their meeting on Monday.

In a meeting on the sidelines of the event, Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin agreed a political solution to the crisis was necessary, but continue to disagree on the fate of Syria's president Bashar al-Assad.

Obama labeled Assad a "tyrant", but Putin said it would be an "enormous mistake" to refuse to work with the Syrian government.

Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has called for the situation in Syria to be referred to the International Criminal Court.

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Obama and Putin clash over Syria at UN meeting

There were frosty relations between Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin as they met at a UN Summit to discuss Syria.

Obama raised a glass with Putin but looked stern as he did so. Credit: Reuters

The US President said he thought Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was a "tyrant" who was behind the four-year civil war in which at least 200,000 people have died.

While Russian premier Putin told the gathering of world leaders there was no alternative to cooperating with Assad's military to defeat the so-called Islamic State.

The disagreement has raised questions about how Obama and Putin might find common ground. Credit: Reuters

The pair shook hands and clinked glasses at a lunch hosted by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

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