Kerry, Lavrov Discuss Syria, Ukraine

Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed Russian military actions in Syria and that conflict in Ukraine, a State Department spokesman said Thursday.



"The secretary repeated our concerns about the preponderance of targets that are being struck by Russian military forces, that are not ISIL-related," John Kirby told reporters.



The 30-minute telephone call came amid Russian engagement in Syria. Russia began conducting airstrikes in western Syria last week, as well as deploying arms and troops in the war-torn country. 



According to Kirby, the two leaders also talked about tactical matters such as de-confliction to avoid possible miscalculations in the air.



On Ukraine, Kirby said Kerry raised the agreement signed by Russia, Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists in September 2014 in the Belarus capital of Minsk.



 The agreement has failed to stop the conflict in eastern Ukraine.



The European powers and the U.S. support the agreement that set conditions for a peace plan between the warring parties, including a cease-fire and the withdrawal of heavy weapons from conflict zones. - Washington DC