MOSCOW, January 21 (Sputnik) — US President Barack Obama’s statements regarding the fight against Islamic State militant group made during his State of the Union address on Tuesday show that Washington has adopted a new approach toward the situation in Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.
“Returning to Tuesday’s President Obama’s speech, a part regarding a purpose of the fight against Islamic State was formulated in a different way. The goal of defeating these terrorists was named the most important among everything else that concerns overcoming the Syrian crisis,” Lavrov said at a press conference.
“It is good that this understanding increases. The most important part is to transform this to practical actions as soon as possible,” Lavrov added.
The IS militant group has been operating in Syria since 2012 before launching attacks in Iraq in 2014. The IS has managed to capture large parts of both countries, announcing an Islamic caliphate on the territories that have fallen under its control.
