Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, has branded the U.S support to rebel forces in Syria as ineffective and illegal.There have been reports of U.S. trained rebel soldiers supplying weapons and ammunition to ISISterrorists and having joined them.
Ahead of his meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, Putin in a recorded message to U.S. networks has said the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad deserves international for his fight against terrorist organizations.
On the side-lines of the fighting that is taking place in Syria, Obama and Putin are scheduled for a meeting. The Kremlin and the White Hose though have not disclosed the topics on their agenda.
"In my opinion, provision of military support to illegal structures runs counter to the principles of modern international law and the United Nations Charter," said Putin in an excerpt of an interview with U.S. television networks CBS and PBS released by the Kremlin.
In recent weeks, Russia has amassed military equipment in Syria and has stepped up its involvement in that theatre of war. U.S. officials have accused Moscow of sending combat aircrafts, tanks and other weapons of war in order to help Assad’s regime.
With the refugee crisis spilling over to Europe and with the sudden Russian military build-up in Syria in support of Assad, a sense of urgencyhas descended and the Syrian crisis has taken the world’s centrestage.
The new U.S. tack on Syria could bring together Russia, Saudi Arabia and countries such as Turkey and Qatar, which support Syrian opposition groups.
Although both sides are concerned about the threat posed by the Islamic State, their individual approaches to the problem differ. Of late the Ukrainian crisis has had a detrimental effect on U.S.-Russia relations and have dragged relations to a new post-Cold War low.
While Putin wants Damascus to be included in the international fight against the Islamic State, the U.S. however does not subscribe to that view. Putin has criticised U.S. plans to train 5,400 Syrian rebels so that they could fight the terrorists of the Islamic State.
"It turns out that only 60 of these fighters have been properly trained, and as few as four or five people actually carry weapons. The rest of them have deserted with the American weapons to join ISIS," said Putin.
Critics of Obama have long urged him to take more decisive action in the Middle Eastern theatre as well as in Syria, where, as per reports from the United Nations, more than 250,000 people have perished in a conflict that has been raging on for 4 years. Critics have said that a lack of clear cut American policy has given Daesh opportunities to not only expand its territories but also its hold on the populace.
Putin is of the view that Russian support for the Syrian government is backed by the U.N Charter.
"We have been providing assistance to legitimate government entities only.As of today it has taken the form of weapons supplies to the Syrian government, personnel training and humanitarian aid to the Syrian people," said Putin
References: www.reuters.com
Ahead of his meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, Putin in a recorded message to U.S. networks has said the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad deserves international for his fight against terrorist organizations.
On the side-lines of the fighting that is taking place in Syria, Obama and Putin are scheduled for a meeting. The Kremlin and the White Hose though have not disclosed the topics on their agenda.
"In my opinion, provision of military support to illegal structures runs counter to the principles of modern international law and the United Nations Charter," said Putin in an excerpt of an interview with U.S. television networks CBS and PBS released by the Kremlin.
In recent weeks, Russia has amassed military equipment in Syria and has stepped up its involvement in that theatre of war. U.S. officials have accused Moscow of sending combat aircrafts, tanks and other weapons of war in order to help Assad’s regime.
With the refugee crisis spilling over to Europe and with the sudden Russian military build-up in Syria in support of Assad, a sense of urgencyhas descended and the Syrian crisis has taken the world’s centrestage.
The new U.S. tack on Syria could bring together Russia, Saudi Arabia and countries such as Turkey and Qatar, which support Syrian opposition groups.
Although both sides are concerned about the threat posed by the Islamic State, their individual approaches to the problem differ. Of late the Ukrainian crisis has had a detrimental effect on U.S.-Russia relations and have dragged relations to a new post-Cold War low.
While Putin wants Damascus to be included in the international fight against the Islamic State, the U.S. however does not subscribe to that view. Putin has criticised U.S. plans to train 5,400 Syrian rebels so that they could fight the terrorists of the Islamic State.
"It turns out that only 60 of these fighters have been properly trained, and as few as four or five people actually carry weapons. The rest of them have deserted with the American weapons to join ISIS," said Putin.
Critics of Obama have long urged him to take more decisive action in the Middle Eastern theatre as well as in Syria, where, as per reports from the United Nations, more than 250,000 people have perished in a conflict that has been raging on for 4 years. Critics have said that a lack of clear cut American policy has given Daesh opportunities to not only expand its territories but also its hold on the populace.
Putin is of the view that Russian support for the Syrian government is backed by the U.N Charter.
"We have been providing assistance to legitimate government entities only.As of today it has taken the form of weapons supplies to the Syrian government, personnel training and humanitarian aid to the Syrian people," said Putin
References: www.reuters.com
