WASHINGTON — Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Obama discussed the Syrian war in a phone call on Wednesday and the Kremlin said both leaders confirmed they were ready to increase coordination of military action in Syria.

The White House said Obama stressed the need for Russia to press the Damascus government to halt attacks on civilians and for progress to be made on a political transition to end the war in Syria.

Relations between Russia and the United States have been strained by disagreements over the conflict in Syria, where Moscow and Washington are backing opposing sides in the civil war.

The Kremlin said in a statement that Putin had used the call to urge Obama to aid the separation of the “moderate” opposition in Syria from the Nusra Front and other “extremist” groups.

In its statement on the call, the White House said the two leaders confirmed their commitment to defeat ISIS and Nusra Front.

The Kremlin statement said the phone call took place on the initiative of Russia and that both sides also stressed the importance of United Nations-brokered peace talks restarting.