Putin, seated next to Obama following their two-hour meeting, said: "From my perspective we've been able to find many commonalities" on Syria.

Neither leader mentioned Syrian President Bashar Assad by name in their public remarks or in a joint statement issued after their meeting, thus avoiding any express reference to past U.S. demands that Assad step down.

The joint statement said: "We are united in the belief that the Syrian people should have the opportunity to independently and democratically choose their own future.

Beyond Syria, Obama and Putin discussed diplomatic efforts to head off a confrontation with Iran. Obama said he emphasized a common approach to Iran, asserting there was "still time and space to resolve diplomatically" concerns about nuclear weapons.

The U.S. has sought Russia's help to lend legitimacy to the argument that Iran faces broad international condemnation. Iran usually paints the dispute over its nuclear program as a confrontation with the U.S. and its ally Israel.