President Obama’s remarks come as he is reputedly weighing a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the ongoing crisis in Syria. The United States says Russia has sent tanks and artillery to Syria this week in what U.S. officials say amounts to an attempt to set up a Russian military base in western Syria. The two countries have long been at odds in their response to the Syrian conflict, with Russia backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the U.S. calling on him to step down. Meanwhile, Australia has launched its first airstrikes inside Syria Monday targeting ISIL. France says it will also begin airstrikes inside Syria against ISIL in the coming weeks.