Kerry, Putin Aim to Preserve Syria Cease-Fire, Coordinate Efforts

Secretary of State John Kerry met late into the night on Thursday with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a bid to salvage cease-fire efforts in Syria by offering Russia greater U.S. military cooperation if Moscow agrees to ground the Syrian regime’s air force.

The talks ended with U.S. officials unsure whether they will reach an agreement on the latest bid to rescue an eight-month effort to reach a cease-fire and hold talks on a leadership change, an effort that has largely failed. Talks will resume on Friday between Mr. Kerry and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

To entice Mr. Putin’s cooperation, the U.S. is proposing closer military coordination involving airstrikes against militant groups Nusra Front and Islamic State in Syria and wants Moscow in turn to use its influence to ground Syria’s air force, which has defied a cease-fire agreement to continue pounding civilian population centers. 

Mr. Kerry hopes the deal will reduce violence in Syria after more than five years of war, as reported by Wall Street Journal.