President Obama: U.N. paralyzed on Syria strike

ST. PETERSBURG -- President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, held "constructive" talks Friday on Syria on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Russia.

The two leaders hold opposing views on whether military action should be taken against the Syrian government over its alleged use of chemical weapons on its own people.

Obama is seeking to rally domestic and international support for military strikes on Syria, while Putin -- a determined ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad -- has challenged the assertion that regime forces were behind the attacks. Syria's government blames rebel forces.

Obama said the two leaders had a "candid, constructive" conversation but acknowledged that Putin was unlikely to shift his position on military action against Syria.

However, he said, they could both agree to work toward a political resolution to the crisis.

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