RUSSIA and Turkey reacted cautiously to US plans for refugee “safe zones” in Syria and neighbouring countries yesterday.

New US President Donald Trump trailed the idea in an interview with ABC TV on Wednesday — part of his policy of closing his borders to those in need.

Though characteristically scant on details, Mr Trump’s plan would represent an escalation of US involvement in Syria and had echoes of election opponent Hillary Clinton’s mooted no-fly zones that would have brought the US into conflict with Russia.