MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia had not noted any big changes suggesting the United States was moving to withdraw its troops from Syria, following an order from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Putin said Trump was trying to fulfill his election campaign promises by ordering the troop withdrawal, but that he was not always able to fulfill his promises because of what Putin described as internal political issues.

The top U.S. commander overseeing American forces in the Middle East said on Sunday that the United States is likely just weeks away from starting the withdrawal of ground troops from Syria.