Putin plans air strikes in Syria if no U.S. deal reached: Bloomberg
Russian President
Vladimir Putin is preparing for unilateral air strikes against Islamic
State in Syria if the United States rejects his proposal to join forces,
Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing two people familiar with the
matter.Russia has increased
its military presence inside Syria and its arms supplies to the Syrian
army as it steps up support of longtime ally President Bashar al-Assad,
drawing warnings of further destabilization from Western countries that
oppose Assad.
A Russian diplomatic
source told Reuters on Wednesday that Moscow sees a growing chance to
reach international agreement on fighting terrorism in Syria and end the
crisis that has stretched into its fifth year.
Bloomberg
reported that Putin's preferred course of action was for the U.S.
government and its allies to agree to coordinate their campaign against
Islamic State militants with Russia, Iran and the Syrian army. It cited a
person close to the Kremlin and an adviser to the Defense Ministry in
Moscow.
