Even so, America's top diplomat is hoping to salvage ties between the USA and Russian Federation.
Responding to a question about the danger of their antagonistic positions related to Syria spiralling into "a conflict between the two nuclear-powered countries", Mr. Mattis said during a briefing at the Pentagon: "It will not spiral out of control". Tillerson and Lavrov are expected to hold a news conference that begins soon.
On Wednesday, US envoy Nikki Haley told the Security Council that Washington wants a diplomatic solution to end the war in Syria.
Though meant to punish Assad for a chemical weapons attack, the US strikes last week also served to refocus the world's attention on the bloody war in Syria. Lavrov called the talks open and substantial, and insisted there were no "insurmountable" difficulties between Russian Federation and the USA on Syria and the conflict in Ukraine.
"We have seen very alarming actions recently with an unlawful attack against Syria", Mr Lavrov said, referring to the Tomahawk missiles Mr Trump launched at a Syrian air base to punish Assad for using chemical weapons.
The UN Security Council could vote as early as tomorrow on a draft resolution aimed at strengthening the investigation of the suspected chemical attack in Syria, diplomats said.
President Donald Trump is demanding that Russian Federation withdraw its support for the Assad regime.
At the press conference after the meeting, Tillerson said the Assad regime was responsible for the chemical attack, and Lavrov swiftly asserted that Russian Federation was not convinced and called for more investigation.
Meanwhile, President Trump told the Fox Business Channel that Assad was a war criminal and Russian Federation should rethink its support of him.
United Nations Russia vetoes UN resolution on Syria gas attack probe
Security Council on Wednesday to condemn the gas attack and push Assad to cooperate with global inquiries into the incident. The US did not know prior to the attack it was going to happen, the official emphasized.
Johnson denied he had suffered a defeat, saying there was support for sanctions if further evidence of the chemical attack were gathered. "We know what I just told you, we don't know anything beyond that", Mattis said, when asked whether Russian Federation had a role.
"The Syrian regime should think long and hard before it again acts so recklessly in violations to worldwide law against the use of chemical weapon", the Pentagon chief said. It said the outcome of the discussions is important not only for the U.S.
"We discussed Assad today", said Lavrov.
President Trump said that the images of the attack's aftermath moved him to act, launching the Tomahawk strike on the airbase from where the U.S. believes the planes took off to carry out the attack.
In his first Pentagon press conference, the new defense chief reiterated warnings that further chemical weapons use will be met with fresh U.S. action.
Hitler used gas chambers to kill millions of Jews. Spicer later apologized for his inaccurate remarks.
The United States has sought to minimize expectations for the trip or the likelihood that the US will leave with any Russian concessions on Syria.
However, the USA ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, did not let up on the criticism of Moscow.
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