Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at a local election rally in Ankara, Turkey, March 23, 2019.(Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya)

US President Donald Trump spoke over phone with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday discussing bilateral ties and Syria, the White House said Thursday.

The two leaders' conversation "covered a range of bilateral and regional issues, including efforts to increase trade and their shared concern about the humanitarian situation in Idlib, Syria," the White House said in a statement.

The phone call came amid tension between Washington and Ankara over security situation in Syria and Turkey's purchase of Russia's S-400 missile defense systems despite America's strong opposition.

Erdogan said that Turkey will not allow the United States to delay the plan to set up a safe zone in northeastern Syria, CNN Turk reported on Thursday.

On Aug. 7, Turkish and US army officials agreed to set up a safe zone in northeastern Syria, which is expected to turn into a "peace corridor" stretching from the Euphrates River to the Iraqi border to facilitate the return of displaced Syrians living in Turkey to their home country and to address Turkey's security concerns along the border.