Russian President Vladimir Putin, who held a rare meeting with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad on Thursday, said the situation in Syria is now favourable for the beginning of a “political process” which could speed up the withdrawal of foreign forces.
“After the military success (of the Syrian army in recent months) supplementary conditions have been created which favour the start of a political process on a major scale,” Putin said in a statement released by the Kremlin following the meeting in the southern Russian city of Sochi.
