Vladimir Putin to Francois Hollande: Russia 'prepared to work with you'

MOSCOW -- President Vladimir Putin told French President Francois Hollande in the Kremlin yesterday that Russia is "prepared to work with you" in combating the Islamist militants who have inflicted devastating attacks on both countries.

Hollande flew to Moscow to enlist Putin in a joint campaign against the Islamic State in Syria, but the prospects for close coordination between wary nations are problematic.

Just hours before the two presidents met, Russian officials had promised sweeping economic sanctions against Turkey, a NATO ally of France, for shooting down a Russian jet in an airspace dispute that ended with two Russian servicemen killed. Turkey says it warned and shot down the Russian Su-24 on Tuesday because it crossed into Turkish airspace, the latest of such episodes; Russia contends the jet remained over the Syrian side.

"I am in Moscow with you to figure out how we can act together in order to coordinate our actions to hit this terrorist group and look for political solutions for Syria," Hollande said at a joint news conference before entering private talks with Putin.

Russia and the West are at odds over the political future of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Putin has provided Assad with military and diplomatic shelter from the West, which wants him to step down in a political transition. But Putin has emphasized the fight against global terrorism as a means to repair, or at least re-establish, a meaningful partnership with the West.

A U.S.-led coalition has launched airstrikes against the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, for the past year, while Russian bombers began striking targets in Syria two months ago. Russia's involvement has been an issue because coalition nations say Russia has attacked positions held by Syrian rebels, who are fighting Assad's regime and, in many cases, also aiding in the campaign against ISIS.

"Our positions are the same," Putin told Hollande, noting that both countries had suffered terrorist attacks. "That forces us to join our forces in fighting terrorists. We are prepared to work with you, Mr. President."

In London, Prime Minister David Cameron argued the case for extending Britain's airstrikes targeting the Islamic State to Syria, telling Parliament that it posed a "fundamental threat" to the security of the United Kingdom and that Britain should not "wait until an attack takes place here."

He said British police and security services had foiled seven plots over the past year that either were linked to the Islamic State or were inspired by its propaganda.

Cameron told Parliament that if Britain won't act "when our friend and ally France has been struck in this way, then our allies in the world can be forgiven for asking: If not now, when?"

Earlier in the day, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev called for tough sanctions against Turkey that could bite into more than $30 billion in trade ties between the two countries, as police began seizing Turkish products and deporting Turkish businessmen.