Story highlights The phone call will be the third between the two leaders since Trump took office

Russia has condemned the US attack on a Syrian air base last month

Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone Tuesday about the war in Syria for the first time since Trump ordered a missile strike against a Syrian regime air base last month.

The White House said in a statement that Trump and Putin discussed the need to "end the violence" in Syria and discussed Trump's proposal to create safe zones. The two leaders also discussed terrorism in the Middle East more broadly and the dangers of the North Korean nuclear program, the White House said.

Trump agreed to send a representative to Syrian cease-fire talks in Kazakhstan that begin on Wednesday.

"President Trump and President Putin agreed that the suffering in Syria has gone on for far too long and that all parties must do all they can to end the violence," the White House said in a statement. "The conversation was a very good one."

The Kremlin readout of the call said it focused on "the prospect of coordinating Russian and US actions" in fighting terrorism in Syria and that the two leaders agreed to "intensify" talks through the US secretary of state and Russian foreign minister.

Read More