Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said that Russia expects to continue regular contacts with the US military on Syria under the administration of new President Joe Biden.
Antonov noted that Moscow also considers it useful to identify areas where Russia and the United States could establish cooperation. In particular, for the provision of humanitarian assistance, assistance in the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, mine clearance, as well as in the fight against terrorism.
“We are ready for such interaction – of course, provided that the sovereignty of the SAR is respected,” RIA Novosti quotes him on Thursday, January 21.
Antonov also said that Moscow is ready for a dialogue on the extension of the START Treaty. He expressed hope that there is a chance to come to an agreement with the administration of the new president before the expiration of the agreement.
On January 19, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that Russia would not engage in armed clashes with the American military in Syria and would not “drive” them out of there.
He stressed that the Syrian crisis is in an “advanced stage of settlement”, and a victory has been won in the fight against terrorism in the region.
The armed conflict in Syria has been going on since March 2011. By now, the main terrorist group, the Islamic State, which is banned in Russia, has been defeated. Scattered militant units operate in a number of provinces of the country.