As ISIL continues to hold considerable areas of land, stretching across Syria and Iraq, pressure is mounting for western nations to drop its opposition to Assad and open talks on military action to quell ISIL.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel told a news conference in Brussels:
"We have to speak with many actors, this includes Assad, but others as well not only with the United States of America, Russia, but with important regional partners, Iran, and Sunni countries such as Saudi Arabia."
Her comments follow similar calls by the former president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy and the White House. Sarkozy told Le Parisien newspaper:
"We must build the conditions for the creation of a liberation army of Syria and rely on neighbors as well as more dialogue with Russia and Putin."
White House spokesman, Josh Earnest, said President Barack Obama's administration was willing to hold "tactical, practical discussions" with Moscow on operations in Syria and the fight against the Islamic State group.
Turning Point
Russia has said it will provide "adequate" support to Syria's government to help it fight terrorism, head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department for New Challenges and Threats, Ilya Rogachev told RIA Novosti.
"Russia has provided and will provide adequate support to the legitimate government of Syria in the fight against extremists and terrorists of all kinds."
There were calls in the US and UK in 2013 for airstrikes against Assad's government, when allegations emerged that he had used chemical weapons against opposition forces. Russian President Vladimir Putin at the time said it was "ludicrous'' that Assad would use them at a time when his forces were gaining ground against the rebels and warned against destabilizing his government.
When UK Prime Minister David Cameron's motion to parliament, calling for military action over Syria was defeated in parliament, US President Barack Obama decided to postpone any vote in Congress and no airstrikes were carried out.
Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war, the US and some of its allies have supported the moderate Syrian opposition, calling for Assad's resignation, while Russia recognized Assad as the only legitimate Syrian authority.
However, in recent days, US Secretary of State John Kerry and British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond have both expressed the view that — although it is still their policy that Assad must step down — that may not necessarily mean immediately, following the cessation of war.
There is growing evidence that diplomatic efforts are being made to reconsider the West's position over Assad amid the biggest refugee crisis in Europe for decades.
