United Nations, September 29 (RHC)-- U.S. President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin held their first formal meeting in two years last night in New York. During the 90-minute meeting, the presidents agreed that their armed forces should hold talks to avoid coming into conflict in Syria, where fighting has killed over 200,000 people and displaced millions.

In recent weeks Russia has reached a new intelligence-sharing agreement with Iraq, Iran and Syria in the fight against ISIL and built up forces inside Syria to support President Bashar al-Assad. The United States, meanwhile, has called for the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.