But the Russian leader’s comments Thursday offered more robust backing for Assad, dimming chances for progress in the deadlocked negotiations.
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Four Russia Su-25 combat jets returned from Syria landed on Wednesday evening at an airbase in Russia’s Krasnodar region. More Russian planes return.
Despite the intricate web of interests surrounding the talks, observers say the current round of dialogue is taking place in a far more constructive atmosphere than during multiple previous failed peace efforts. He noted a case in Moadamiyeh, near Damascus, when a convoy was stuck at a checkpoint for over 30 hours and “Russia helped us getting through”.
Syria’s United Nations ambassador has dismissed plans by Syria’s Kurds to declare a federal region in northern Syria.
A careful reading of the statements made by the Kremlin and the Assad regime show significant differences; the Russian statement begins with a different phrase to the one that Assad begins with. It warned against any attempt to encroach upon the integrity of Syrian territory.
Dmitry Peskov said the Syrian peace process is the main focus now for Moscow and Washington.
The Syrian government and the Western-backed opposition are holding U.N.-mediated peace talks in Geneva as part of a diplomatic push launched with U.S.-Russian support to end the conflict.
A Russian deputy defense minister said Russia would continue striking Islamic State militants and Syria’s al-Qaida branch, known as the Nusra Front, as well as other militant factions that the U.N. Security Council has designated as terrorist organizations.
Russia began its withdrawal of forces from Syria as the country’s opposition said the move will help peace talks in Geneva, while a top Russian military official said airstrikes will continue against terrorists. The Russian intervention, which began last September, has widely been seen as having rescued Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime from military collapse. He added that, “It’s important for Syria to remain a single state”.
Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin visited Moscow on Wednesday amid concerns in Israel that Russia’s partial withdrawal from Syria will embolden its adversaries, Hezbollah and Iran, there.
“Our systems will be used against any targets that we will see as a threat to Russian servicemen”, Putin said, referring to the powerful S-400 antiaircraft missiles and other systems that Russia is maintaining at its air base in Syria.
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Back on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the withdrawal of the “main part” of Russian forces in Syria, a move that reflected what he called the Kremlin’s achievement of almost all its goals in the war-torn country. Moscow didn’t specify how many aircraft and troops would be withdrawn. The planes would be making stops at airfields in Russian Federation for refueling and technical checks since some of them are stationed more than 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles) away from the Syria base, the ministry said.
