WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US President Barack Obama will meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday at the United Nations General Assembly in New York to discuss the Islamic State (ISIL) threat in Syria as well as the upcoming elections in Ukraine, White House officials said.
Obama’s Special Assistant and National Security Council's Senior Director for Russia and Central Asia Celeste Wallander said on Thursday that the US president plans to seek clarity during the meeting with Putin on how Russia plans to be "a constructive contributor" to the fight against ISIL militants in Syria.
According to Wallander, Obama also plans to make it clear to Putin that Russia should support the holding of elections in Ukraine in October as it is stipulated by the Minsk peace agreement.
A senior US administration official told RIA Novosti on Thursday that the meeting between Obama and Putin will occur at the request of the Russian president.
The United States currently leads an international anti-ISIL coalition, but has not extended an invitation for Russia to join it, because of Russia's counterterrorism support for the Syrian government. Russia has criticized the US-led coalition for conducting airstrikes against ISIL positions in Syria without seeking the approval of the UN Security Council or Damascus.
Putin’s speech at the UN General Assembly is scheduled for the morning of September 28, and will be his first address at the UN since 2005.
Putin will lead a Russian delegation and will address the UN General Assembly about the crises in Ukraine and Syria as well as the international fight against terrorism.
The Russian president will also speak about the issue of anti-Russia sanctions as a unilateral measure in his address.
Obama is also expected to address the General Assembly on September 28.
