Kerry, Lavrov Say They Want Similar Things for Syria, but Way Forward Unclear

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said they wanted to see a “whole, unified, secular and democratic Syria” at a five-minute press briefing during UN Security Council sessions on Wednesday, September 30. On the same day, Russia engaged in its first Syrian airstrikes, stirring worldwide controversy over its choice of targets.

Both men also said they understood the need to move “as soon as possible, perhaps even as soon as tomorrow,” Kerry said, “having a military-to-military deconfliction discussion, meeting, conference, whichever.” Credit: YouTube/U.S. Department of State