Ministers meeting in the walled Tuscan city of Lucca strongly supported US missile strikes that targeted a Syrian air base believed to have been used to launch the attack. But when Syrian President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons on the field of battle, "we had to hit him and hit him hard".
But in a Fox Business Network interview, the USA president said he wouldn't intervene militarily against Assad unless the Syrian leader resorts to using weapons of mass destruction again. Trump's critics fear that continued USA action against the Assad regime could trigger a confrontation with Russian Federation, the main backer of the Syrian government.
Lavrov also says that Russian President Vladimir Putin could restore a military hotline with the US if Washington focuses on fighting the Islamic State and other extremist groups.
The country's Foreign Minister said it is impossible for Russian Federation to alone pay for Syria's regeneration and that Moscow will have to ensure there are no more pictures of "children murdered by poison gas" if it wants to be a respected worldwide partner.
Tillerson said Russian-sponsored cease-fire talks could generate momentum toward broader talks about a political transition - if they create a durable cease-fire.
The Russian leader complained Wednesday about the state of U.S. -Russia relations in the wake of the attack.
Putin also asserted that Syria has complied with an agreement to dispose of chemical weapons "so far as we know".
With tensions rising over Syria and other issues, President Donald Trump said Wednesday that USA relations with Russian Federation "may be at an all-time low" as he moved ever further away from his campaign promises to establish better ties with Moscow. The Kremlin declined to say if Putin would meet Tillerson.
Reporters asked whether Tillerson had introduced evidence of Russian interference into the US election during either meeting; Lavrov said Russia had seen no proof for the "slanderous" accusation.
Peskov gave no details of what they discussed.
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The news conference came after Russian President Vladimir Putin met the top American diplomat for nearly two hours to see if they could rescue relations between the world's mightiest military powers.
Tillerson said he hoped for an "open and frank" dialogue with Lavrov. Making little to no eye contact, Tillerson and Lavrov gripped hands and wore expressions that ranged mainly from grim to flat before a phalanx of photographers.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov blasted USA claims that it has "irrefutable evidence" of election interference.
"Russia needs to decide whether it wants to double down on its support of a murderous regime that is committing war crimes, or whether right now it wants to say, 'You know what?"
Subtly mocking his guest, Lavrov said their talks were especially important because "not all key positions in the State Department have been filled yet".
He said working groups would be established to improve U.S.
The President and Mr. Mattis appeared eager to underscore that they had no desire to get more involved in Syria amid conflicting signals from within the administration on the future course of action.
Trump said Tillerson had completed a successful meeting with Putin, where "things went pretty well". I mean, just the idea, an investigation into the Trump administration - have, you know, colluding with Russian Federation.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's visit to Moscow got off to a heated start Wednesday when his Russian counterpart warned the US shouldn't retaliate against Russia's ally Syria. Tillerson has a meeting set later Wednesday in Moscow with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Adding further fuel to rising tensions: the White House's move to circulate declassified US intelligence accusing Moscow of aiding Assad's government in covering up the chemical attack.
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