Russia, Turkey, Saudi Envoys in Vienna for Talks on Syria crisis

The meeting, due to take place in Vienna on Friday, comes after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad paid a surprise visit to Moscow and met with President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.

Washington, Ankara and Riyadh support opposition groups fighting to topple the Syrian government. The three countries claim that Russia’s airstrikes would only prolong the crisis.

Russia has been conducting the airstrikes against ISIS and other terrorist groups since September 30 on the Syrian government’s request.

In his visit to Moscow, President Assad informed the Russian leader of the Syrian government’s plans to fight terrorists. The two presidents also discussed a political solution to the conflict.

The US and its regional allies insist that President Assad should go in order to be able to find a political solution to the Syria war. Russia says the international community should first help Assad defeat ISIS.

“The aim of the US is to get rid of Assad; probably that is so. Our aim is to defeat terrorism, to battle terror, and to help President Assad claim victory over terror,” Putin said on Thursday.

“In this way, we can then create the conditions for the start and, I hope the successful reaching of a conclusion, of the political process to find a settlement,” he added.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The crisis has claimed the lives of more than 250,000 people so far and displaced millions; Press TV reported.