English
Russia and the United States should find common ground to end Syria’s civil war and instability in eastern Ukraine, John Kerry has told Vladimir Putin as they met for talks in Moscow.
“Together the United States and Russia have the ability to make a significant difference here,” Kerry told the Russian leader at the start of their meeting.
“It’s been a good cooperative effort, and we’re very appreciative for what has been achieved so far,” Kerry said.
Putin offered only brief remarks before the start of the closed-door meeting, saying, “We are seeking with you solutions to the most acute crises.”
Russia and the US are now both carrying out bombing raids in Syria but are at odds over the best strategy. Moscow insists it is targeting the Islamic State (Isis), but most of its raids appear to be on other opposition and militant groups. The Russians, meanwhile, have accused the US of dividing terror groups into “good terrorists” and “bad terrorists”.
Earlier in the day, Kerry also met his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.
“Even when there have been differences between us, we have been able to work effectively on specific issues,” Kerry said in remarks before he sat down with Lavrov. “Today, I hope we can find some common ground.”
Putin and US president Barack Obama met on the sidelines of the UN general assembly in September, after Putin called for a global coalition against the Islamic State. Shortly after, Russia launched its bombing campaign in Syria.
As it has been for a number of years, the main sticking point between Moscow and the west is on the role Assad himself could play in a future transition. The US and most western countries insist Assad must leave office, but have suggested in recent months he might be able to play a transitional role for some period. Moscow has suggested it is “up to the Syrian people” to decide, but in practice this appears to mean allowing Assad to set the terms of the debate.
There have been some indications recently that Russia could soften its stance on Assad, but it seems unlikely Kerry and Putin will make a major breakthrough.
Lavrov said there were still “outstanding issues” with the US over the political transition plan for Syria, which is meant to see Assad and opposition representatives hold talks by early January.
On Isis, Kerry said: “Russia and the United States agree that this is a threat to everybody, to every country, that there’s no negotiation. These are the worst of terrorists. They’ve attacked culture and history and all decency and they leave no choice but for civilised nations to stand together and to fight and push back and destroy them.”
Ukraine is another topic Kerry and Putin are likely to speak about, with Washington keen to assure the government in Kiev that a reengagement with the Kremlin over Syria does not mean abandoning Ukraine. Vice-president Joe Biden travelled to Kiev last week to put that message across, and Kerry is likely to tell Putin that Russia must do more to implement the Minsk peace accords.
Lavrov, however, said the responsibility was with the US to pressure Kiev more: “Of course, we would like to continue the dialogue … on how the United States can assist with the Ukrainian settlement. Given the US influence on Kiev, it would be a positive factor.”
In between his meetings, Kerry found time to take a walk on Old Arbat, Moscow’s main pedestrian thoroughfare, chatting with passersby and calling into a souvernir shop, where according to Russian media he spent 35,000 roubles (£328) on some matroyshka Russian nesting dolls and two amber bracelets.
He also met with the veteran human rights campaigner Lyudmila Alekseyeva to discuss the difficult climate for NGOs in Russia and a crackdown on civil society. The meeting is likely to irritate the Kremlin.