US, Russia Must Work Closely Together as Key Actors on Ground in Syria

The US and Russia must work closely together militarily as they are the key actors in insuring a cessation of hostilities in Syria, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Frederica Mogherini said during a speech at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

NEW YORK (Sputnik) — Russia and the United States brokered a ceasefire in Syria on February 27. The number of settlements that have joined the ceasefire regime in Syria has since increased to 206.

"It is key that US and Russia work as much as possible closely together, including military to military cooperation, because they are the key actors on the ground that can have an impact on the cessation of hostilities [in Syria]," Mogherini stated on Thursday.

Syria has been mired in a civil war since 2011, with Islamic opposition factions, including extremist and terrorist groups such as the Daesh, fighting the Syrian Army in an attempt to topple the legitimate government of President Bashar Assad.

The Daesh is outlawed in Russia and numerous other nations.

The UN special envoy for Syria estimated that more than 400,000 Syrians have died in the conflict, about 5 million have become refugees and nearly 7 million are internally displaced.