Syria ceasefire IN TATTERS after US suspends talks with Russia as tensions boil over
TALKS between the US and Russia on the ceasefire in Syria have been suspended, leaving a chance of a deal in tatters.
US suspends Syria talks with Russia over Aleppo offensive
Tensions have gone into overdrive between the bitter enemies as the US pulled the plug on the drawn-out talks.
US state department spokesman John Kirby said: “This is not a decision that was taken lightly."
Unfortunately, Russia failed to live up to its own commitments, including its obligations under international humanitarian law
The spokesman claimed the White House had “run out” of patience with Russia regarding the talks on the war-torn country.
In his statement, Mr Kirby added: “Unfortunately, Russia failed to live up to its own commitments, including its obligations under international humanitarian law.”
Washington has now hauled back any personnel who attempted to set-up ceasefire talks with Russian officers in Geneva.
The Cold War foes will keep communication channels open to ensure forces to not get in each others’ way in Syria.
Russia’s foreign minister spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, said: “After failing to fulfil the agreements that they themselves worked out, (the US) is trying to shift responsibility on to someone else.”
Relations have been simmering away in recent weeks after John Kerry demanded Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad halt flights above Syria battle zones.
The US Secretary of State gave an impassioned speech as he faced off with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov last month at the UN Security Council in New York.
He said: “I emphasise this to Russia. The United States continues to believe there is a way forward that, although rocky and difficult and uncertain, can provide the most viable path out of the carnage.
“If we allow spoilers to choose the path for us, the path of escalation then make no mistake my friends: the next time we convene here we're going to be facing a Middle East with even more refugees, with more dead, with more displaced, with more extremists and more suffering on an even greater scale.
“To restore credibility to the process, we must move forward to try to immediately ground all aircraft flying in those key areas in order to de-escalate the situation and give a chance for humanitarian assistance to flow unimpeded.”