Trump says US, Russia ties are at 'all-time low'

U.S. ties with Russia are at an "all-time low" due to Syria, President Donald Trump has said, adding that they want to improve ties with their Cold War enemy. 

"Right now, we're not getting along with Russia at all - we may be at an all-time low in terms of our relationship with Russia," Trump said alongside NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House on April 12. 

Moscow has accused the United States of breaking international law by striking Syria with 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles on April 7 in what Trump said was retaliation for a chemical attack on a rebel-held town attributed to the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

Trump has given such criticism short shrift, decrying the "vicious slaughter of innocent civilians with chemical weapons" and calling al-Assad a "butcher" and an "animal."

"I felt we had to do something about it. I have absolutely no doubt we did the right thing," he said.

"It would be wonderful... if NATO and our country could get along with Russia," Trump said, trying to show his intention of wanting to mend ties. 

But that prospect appeared remote, with Trump's secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, getting a frosty reception in Moscow, and Russia using its U.N. Security Council veto to swat down a U.S.-backed resolution demanding Syrian cooperation in probing last week's suspected sarin attack in the town of Khan Sheikhoun, which killed 87 civilians. 

Trump added it was "certainly possible" that Moscow knew about the alleged chemical attack, indicating Russian officials were present at the source air base that Trump later bombed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin made his displeasure felt as he hosted Tillerson at the Kremlin on April 12.

"There is...