Obama, Putin Agree to Cooperate on Syria Agreement

‘We have slid into a new period of Cold War, ‘ he said.

Others remain just as skeptical that the proposed ceasefire will assist those it is proclaimed to help – Syria’s starving and increasingly desperate citizens. But some observers contend that Moscow is intent primarily on propping of the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is hanging onto power despite a five-year civil war. “There are thousands of them in Syria”, he said. They also agreed to “accelerate and expand” deliveries of humanitarian aid to besieged Syrian communities beginning this week.

The Islamic State is a terrorist organization banned in Russian Federation. He complained coordination hasn’t gone beyond an agreement to avoid in-air incidents. “We’ve seen cases of redeployment of heavy armaments closer to the contact line… and multiple rocket launchers, artillery being used”, he said, referring to the heavy weaponry that is meant to be removed under the Minsk deal. On Friday, the president said he wanted to retake “the whole country” from rebels.

“European politicians thought that creating a so-called belt of friends at Europe’s side, on the outskirts of the EU, could be a guarantee of security, and what’s the result?” he said.

(Vatican Radio) Russia has rejected accusations that it has been bombing civilians in Syria and says tensions with the West over the issue and its role in Ukraine has led to a new Cold War. “It is already very hot”.

President Dalia Grybauskaite of Russia’s neighbor Lithuania said Moscow “is demonstrating open military aggression in Ukraine, open military aggression in Syria”.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev attends the 52nd Security Conference in Munich, southern Germany, on February 13, 2016.

“Russia can prove by its actions that it will respect Ukraine’s sovereignty just as it insists on respect for its own by the same token”, Kerry said, with Lavrov in the audience.

“Isolationism, intolerance, disrespect of human rights, religious fanatics, homophobia – this alternative Europe has a leader”.

“It is no accident that Mr. Putin has agreed on a cessation of hostilities”. “Sometimes these are people with different culture who would like to get benefits and do nothing”.

French Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, has called on Russian Federation to stop hitting civilians in air raids in Syria.

“Even though, the Russian bombing in Syria leaves us with little hope”.

“Military officials must be in constant contact”, Medvedev said, returning to the point later in his remarks.

Many in the audience noted that Kerry has little leverage with which to pressure Russian Federation to abide by any ceasefire.

Speaking at a security conference in Munich, he said he was skeptical about how Russian Federation would behave in the days and weeks ahead, despite agreeing to a “cessation of hostilities” which is due to begin in a week’s time.