The statement came after US Special Envoy for Syria Michael Ratney’s visit to Moscow earlier on Friday for consultations with Russian officials on the ongoing conflict in Syria.
"Assad has proven through his brutal and repressive tactics that he has lost all legitimacy, and he must go as part of a genuine political transition," the statement said.
"We are cognizant that Assad’s continued tenure fuels extremism and inflames tensions in the region," the statement continued.
Syria has been engulfed in a civil war since 2011. The country’s government is fighting a number of rebel groups as well as radical militant organizations, including the ISIL terrorists.
Russia believes Syrian President Bashar Assad should form part of a political solution to the ongoing crisis, while the West, including the United States, has called for him to step down.
