Kerry to Visit Moscow for Talks on Withdrawal of Russian Forces from Syria

John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, stated on Tuesday, March 15, that he will travel to Moscow next week to negotiate with Vladimir Putin and Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, regarding peace in Syria and the withdrawal of Russian forces. Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, announced on Monday that he had ordered the withdrawal of his country's forces from Syria. According to the Associated Press, it is estimated that between three to six thousand Russian troops will leave Syria. John Kerry, in a press conference with his Georgian counterpart, said: 'As we approach the fifth year of this terrible war in Syria, we may be facing the best opportunity in recent years to end this war.' The U.S. Secretary of State added: 'We have now reached an important stage in this process. This is an opportunity that must be seized and not wasted. We have the ability at this moment to finally take steps towards ending the war and bloodshed.' Despite acknowledging the challenges facing the current ceasefire in Syria, such as violations by the conflicting parties, Kerry emphasized his optimism about the process. He stated: 'It is clear that violence in Syria has significantly decreased and access to humanitarian aid has increased, which could even be further improved. The ceasefire is entering its third week despite all predictions, and most importantly, the daily lives of Syrians have improved.' Reports indicate that Sergey Lavrov stated on Tuesday that the decision to withdraw Russian forces from Syria was made to expedite the peace process in this war-torn country. According to the Associated Press, the withdrawal of Russian forces could impact the balance of power in Syria. Meanwhile, Stefan de Mistura, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, also commented on the withdrawal of Russian forces, stating: 'This is an important development, and we hope it will have a positive impact on the peace negotiations.' Salem al-Maslat, a spokesperson for the opposition to Bashar al-Assad's government, also welcomed the withdrawal of Russian forces. The five-year Syrian war has left at least 250,000 dead and millions displaced.