Los Cabos , Mexico ( CNN ) -- President Barack Obama said Monday that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the conflict in Syria and `` agreed that we need to see a cessation of the violence , that a political process has to be created to prevent civil war . '' In comments to reporters after almost two hours of talks , Obama said he and Putin had `` candid , thoughtful and thorough conversation '' about various issues including Syria and Iran . On Syria , Obama said he and Putin `` pledged to work with other international actors including the United Nations '' and its special envoy , former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan . Syria exposes cool spots in U.S.-Russia ties . Russia vetoed a U.N. resolution on Syria pushed by the United States and other allies , and Moscow is accused of providing military aid to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad 's government . The Obama administration says al-Assad 's days are numbered and a transition should be worked out to allow the Syrian people to choose their leaders . Putin said the two leaders were `` able to find many commonalities pertaining to all of those issues , '' but provided no details . The meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Los Cabos , Mexico , was the first time Obama and Putin held face-to-face talks since Putin returned to the president 's office earlier this year . The U.S. ambassador to Russia , Mike McFaul , described the leaders as `` very businesslike , cordial . '' McFaul told reporters about a third of the session was devoted to Syria , making it the biggest single topic . `` The fact that the meeting went for two hours , that was because they were talking about Syria and they did n't want to stop talking about Syria , '' he said . `` Both leaders , really , on both sides , wanted to make sure the other side of the table understood the true motivations for what they 're trying to do and what they 're trying not to do . '' Putin thanked the United States for helping Russia join the World Trade Organization last December . Obama later said he would work with Congress to strengthen Russia 's trade status with the United States , adding that the two nations will disagree on some issues and must `` find constructive ways to manage through any bilateral tensions . '' Earlier Monday , veteran Sen. John McCain said the Obama administration `` in its desperation '' appeared to be placing its hopes for a resolution in Syria on persuading Russia to push al-Assad from power . `` Russia is unlikely to ever support a policy of regime change in Syria , '' said McCain , R-Arizona , in remarks at the American Enterprise Institute . McCain calls for U.S. military leadership on Syria . White House National Security Council spokesman Ben Rhodes said Obama reiterated U.S. concerns that continued Russian arms sales to Syria `` only perpetuate the conflict '' during the meeting in Mexico . He said Putin repeated the Russian position that those sales were part of `` longstanding relationships unrelated to the current conflict '' -- and he cautioned reporters against reading too much into the terse statement Putin gave afterward . `` When he feels like it was a bad meeting , he 'll let you know at some length , '' Rhodes said .
Iran and trade also are discussed by the two leaders . President Obama and Russian President Putin meet at the G-20 Summit . Obama says they agreed on a need to end the violence in Syria and prevent civil war . Putin says he and Obama found many `` commonalities ''