US' Attempts to Topple Syrian Gov't Will Continue – Assad to Sputnik

The United States will press ahead with its efforts to overthrow the Syrian government in an attempt to bring its "puppets" to rule the Middle Eastern country, Syrian President Bashar Assad told Sputnik in an interview.

DAMASCUS (Sputnik) — The United States and its allies have repeatedly stated that the Syrian settlement is impossible if Assad stays in power, while Moscow and Tehran have said that only the Syrian people should decide the fate of their leadership.

"Their aim is to destabilize Syria, their aim is to change the government, to topple the government, and to bring their puppets instead, so they will do everything, for them the end justifies the means, no values, no morals at all, anything could happen," Assad said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier that such statements made by the Western countries could not bring the Syrian reconciliation closer. He added that the solution to the Syrian conflict should be found within the framework of the Geneva and Astana settlement formats and there was no alternative to them.