WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — "I am far from being optimistic, but after five years of civil war, 250,000 victims, for the first time there is, perhaps, a glimmer of hope that we are progressing," Steinmeier said on Tuesday of the recent Syrian ceasefire agreement.
On Saturday, a cessation of hostilities went into effect in Syria, with the support of the UN Security Council and all parties in the conflict. Terrorist groups including Daesh, also known as the Islamic State, as well as the Nusra Front are not included in the ceasefire.
The United States and Russia, co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group, negotiated the ceasefire earlier in February.
As of Tuesday, the US Department of State affirmed that the ceasefire is largely holding, and there have been no major violations in the past 24 hours.
