WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the Syrian issue with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Geneva. Lavrov said after the talks that there is "better mutual understanding of this issue" between the two countries.
"Some of the differences in those discussions toward a durable solutions have been narrowed, but as Secretary Kerry said, issues still remain that need to be addressed. There is no agreement at this time," Cook said on Friday.
Lavrov said after talks with Kerry on Friday that the two had agreed that Russia would continue to work with the Syrian government and opposition groups that cooperate with it, while the United States would continue working with the groups they can influence in Syria and with regional partners.
Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to President Bashar Assad fighting a number of opposition factions and extremist groups. On February 27, a US-Russia brokered ceasefire came into force in Syria. Terrorist groups such as Daesh, as well as Jabhat Fatah al Sham (also known as al-Nusra Front) are not part of the deal. Both groups are banned in Russia and a range of other countries.