The Latest: US, Russia agree to increased diplomacy on Syria

President Donald Trump arrives in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, May 2, 2017, for a presentation ceremony of the Commander-in-Chief trophy to the Air Force Academy football team. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump arrives in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, May 2, 2017, for a presentation ceremony of the Commander-in-Chief trophy to the Air Force Academy football team. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump’s phone call with Russia President Vladimir Putin (all times local):

3:10 p.m.

The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to step up U.S.-Russian diplomatic efforts on Syria.

The Kremlin says the two leaders agreed in a telephone call Tuesday that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (sir-GAY lahv’-RAWF) will intensify their efforts to bring about a cease-fire, with the goal of beginning a real peace process in Syria.

The Kremlin characterized the call as “business-like” and “constructive.”

The Kremlin says Trump and Putin also discussed holding their first in-person meeting in July on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Germany.

The White House says Trump and Putin discussed the creation of safe zones in Syria, but there was no mention of this in the Kremlin readout of the call.

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3 p.m.

The White House says President Donald Trump and Russia President Vladimir Putin held a “very good” conversation about the ongoing crisis on Syria.

A White House readout of the phone calls says the two leaders discussed the creation of safe zones in Syria and agreed that the suffering in Syria “has gone on for far too long.”

Tuesday’s call was the first known discussion between the leaders since the U.S. missile strikes against a Syrian government air base. Russia is one of the Syrian regime’s most important backers.

The Kremlin says Trump and Putin also discussed holding their first in-person meeting in July on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Germany.