Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday made his third phone call to his Russian counterpart in the last 10 days, the State Department said, seeking to clarify the intent of Moscow's military buildup in Syria, and warning that ongoing aid to President Bashar Assad will only prolong the Syrian conflict.
Kerry also told Lavrov that the US is committed to the existing coalition it has created to fight the Islamic State group and that Assad could not be a "credible member" of that group, the statement said, adding that the US would welcome a "constructive Russian role" in an effort which will only succeed if there is "a political transition away from Assad."
Kerry's call came shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin defended his military assistance to Assad's government and said it's impossible to defeat the Islamic State group without cooperating with Damascus and urged other countries to join the cause.