Putin, Kerry did not discuss military cooperation in Syria: Kremlin

TIL Desk/world/Moscow-President Vladimir Putin and US Secretary of State John Kerry did not discuss direct military cooperation in Syria during talks aimed at reviving the stalled peace process in the war-torn country, the Kremlin said today. “The topic of direct military cooperation in the fight against terrorism did not figure” in the talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters after a leaked document revealed Washington was set to offer Moscow closer military cooperation against jihadist groups in Syria.

“An exchange of information is occurring but, unfortunately we have not begun real cooperation to significantly improve the effectiveness of efforts in the fight against terrorism,” the spokesman said. Kerry’s key proposal is to offer Russia closer US military cooperation against the Al Nusra Front jihadist group.

In exchange, Moscow would be required to pressure its ally, Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad, to ground his own jets and end attacks on civilians and the moderate opposition. On the second and final day of his visit to Moscow today, Kerry is meeting his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to discuss ways to resolve the bloody five-year-long conflict.