The Latest: Merkel to Trump: push forward UN Syria process

BERLIN – The German government says Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed the need to press ahead with a U.N.-organized political process when she discussed the war in Syria with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Merkel and Trump spoke by telephone on Monday. According to a statement Tuesday from spokesman Steffen Seibert, the chancellor said that “after the understandable U.S. reaction to the cruel use of chemical weapons, everything must be done to move forward the political process under the auspices of the U.N.”

She said that working with Russia is of “particular significance” in launching a political transition, and that the aim is a peaceful and stable Syria that isn’t led by President Bashar Assad.