![Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin [left to right] meet each other in the Kremlin. - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/102083/44/1020834442_0:375:2948:1672_600x0_80_0_0_1d03ad23afdda2e1fe400e1de5367cd5.jpg "Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin [left to right] meet each other in the Kremlin.")
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Moscow disagrees with US Secretary of State John Kerry's claims that Russian assistance to the Syrian government negatively affects the situation in the war-torn country, Russian UN envoy Vitaly Churkin said Wednesday.
"We disagree with this logic," Churkin said during a Moscow-New York video conference held by Rossiya Segodnya news agency.
The diplomat added that he expected Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to once again explain Russia's stance on this issue during his upcoming meeting with Kerry.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said in a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov earlier in September said that Russia's alleged military build-up in Syria could lead to the escalation of conflict in the Middle Eastern country.
Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011, the United States has supported the overthrow of the Assad government, while Russia has recognized Assad as the legitimate Syrian authority.
