MOSCOW, February 17 (MOSCOW) – The United States’ top diplomat accused Russia on Monday of hindering a peaceful solution to the conflict in Syria by supplying its government with arms and aid.
"Russia needs to be a part of the solution and not be contributing so many more weapons and so much more aid that they're in fact enabling [President Bashar] Assad to double down, which is creating an enormous problem," US Secretary of State John Kerry said at a news conference in Indonesia, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Russia has proven to be the Syrian government’s main international ally since internal conflict broke out there almost three years ago.
Moscow has used its veto right in the UN Security Council to block several resolutions aimed at putting sanctions on Assad’s government, which Western countries accuse of using chemical weapons against Syrian civilians.
Russia maintains it is only supplying arms and military equipment to the war-torn Middle Eastern country under contracts signed before the civil war erupted.
Kerry made the comments two days after international peace talks on Syria brokered by Russia and the United States ended in Geneva without any agreements.
Russia had taken responsibility for bringing the Syrian government to the talks, while the US, which supports the opposition, brought rebel representatives to the table.
