MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during his annual "Direct Line" call-in session that Russia and the United States had the ability to agree and work together on the Syrian problem, as the two states had already successfully collaborated on the solution to the Iranian nuclear program in the past. To date, the only arrangement between Moscow and Washington over Syria is the implementation of the memorandum of understanding on air safety.
"The main players in Syria are Russia and the United States and there is an impossibility to solve the crisis without their participation or agreement. And because the situation on the field is a reflection of the solution in Syria, we believe that at the current stage, and after the US has exhausted all the means and after the Russian political and military advancement, there is a possibility for a joint cooperation or at least the beginning of an understanding over Syria," Isho said.
"After what our homeland has been exposed to and after it came to the brink of the abyss, the one concern of the Syrian citizen became the stability, security and the unity of the country. So it became necessary to have outside forces to assist the Syrian army and strengthen its capabilities to save the county at least," the Syrian party head said, asked if Russian specialists should continue to offer their assistance to the Syrian troops, as planned by Putin.
Russia has been supporting Damascus in the fight against terrorism since the beginning of the Syrian military crisis and civil war in 2011, and began conducting an aerial operation against terrorist groups in Syria in September 2015. Moscow also carries out regular humanitarian aid deliveries to Syria.
