Putin to Talk to Trump as Triumphant Russia Pushes Syria Endgame

Putin has taken a dominant role in efforts to end the conflict after a two-year Russian military campaign helped Assad to fight off opponents, including some backed by the U.S. With Islamic State nearly defeated in Syria, the Kremlin is moving on to bring together regional and global powers to revive long-stalled efforts to reach a settlement expected to cement the Syrian president in power.

Putin will speak to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz on Tuesday to discuss the nearly three hours of talks the Russian leader held with Assad in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian leader Hassan Rouhani will meet Putin in Sochi on Wednesday to discuss a political resolution in Syria.