U.S. President Donald Trump discussed with Jordan's King Abdullah the possibility of establishing safe zones in Syria, the White House said on Thursday.

Trump met with King Abdullah briefly in Washington on Thursday morning. A White House statement on the meeting says Trump "highlighted Jordan's critical contributions to defeating ISIS and discussed the possibility of establishing safe zones in Syria." The president also addressed the importance of strengthening Jordan's security and economy, as well as "Jordan's essential role in serving as a model of tolerance and moderation in the region."

Trump said last week he would establish safe zones in Syria and Yemen for refugees fleeing violence in the war-torn countries. During a telephone call with U.S. President Donald Trump last Sunday, Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz agreed to support safe zones in both countries. During his presidential campaign last year, Trump had called for the Gulf States to pay for establishing safe zones designed to protect Syrian refugees.

A statement after the phone call said the two leaders agreed on the importance of strengthening joint efforts to fight the spread of Daesh militants.

"The president requested and the king agreed to support safe zones in Syria and Yemen, as well as supporting other ideas to help the many refugees who have been displaced by the ongoing conflicts," the statement said.