Russian President Vladimir Putin telephoned United States President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday to congratulate him on his election victory and discuss improved bilateral relations between the two nations. Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the two shared a “phenomenally similar” foreign policy outlook and discussed the need to fight jointly against their biggest enemy – international terrorism and extremism. The leaders agreed to keep in touch over the phone and will soon start planning a meeting, reported The Guardian.

While Putin’s office said that he communicated his willingness for “a dialogue of partnership based on equality, mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs”, Trump’s transition team said the two discussed the threats and challenges facing the United States and Russia, along with strategic economic issues.

Regarding Syria, where Russia supports President Bashar al-Assad and the US backs rebels fighting against him, Trump had suggested that he could move the US focus in Syria away from removing President Bashar Assad, and back Russia’s raids. “The question of regulating the conflict in Syria was also discussed,” said the Kremlin. Earlier, the Kremlin had accused the Obama administration of fanning dissent in Russia. Meanwhile US officials directly accused Russia of attempting to interfere in the election in favour of Trump.