Putin, Macron agree to continue cooperation on Syria

MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Monday agreed that the two countries will strive to resume the peace talks on Syria, the Kremlin said.

During a phone call with Macron, Putin called the recent western strikes on Syria "a gross violation of international law", which further complicated the process of a political settlement on the Syrian crisis, the Kremlin said in a statement.

Earlier this month, the US, Britain and France launched missile strikes in the city of Douma, claiming that they were in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack by the Syrian military, which the Syrian government has categorically denied.

The two presidents agreed on the importance of a holding an investigation by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and facilitating negotiations on a political settlement, according to the statement.

"It is agreed to continue the joint efforts of Russian and French representatives to resume peace talks on the basis of UN Security Council Resolution 2254 and taking into account the results of the Congress of the Syrian National Dialogue in Sochi," the Kremlin said.

The two presidents also called for the continuation of the implementation of the Iranian nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which is "an important factor in ensuring international security", the statement said.