President Obama, Canada's Trudeau Discuss Efforts Against ISIS

(MENAFN- Saudi Press Agency) US President Barack Obama spoke by telephone Monday with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada to discuss Canadian contributions to the global coalition to counter ISIS, as well as aspects of the bilateral relationship, the White House said.

Obama and Trudeau "noted recent gains on the ground against ISIS in Iraq and Syria and agreed that recent ISIS attacks outside of the Middle East have only heightened the need to keep pressure on ISIS in order to degrade and ultimately destroy it," the White House wrote.

The U.S. president "welcomed Canada's current and new contributions to coalition efforts and highlighted Canada's leadership in the coalition," the statement said.

Earlier Monday, Canada announced that it would stop conducting airstrikes in Iraq and Syria and withdraw its six fighter jets from the region. But Ottawa said it would sharply increase the number of its military trainers deployed to Iraq.