Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, made clear today that Moscow would not mediate on behalf of countries offering Bashar al-Assad asylum, in a push to make him quit Syria.
Speaking to journalists, Lavrov said:
“Some countries in the region have turned to us and suggested, ‘Tell Assad we are ready to fix him up. And we answered, ‘What do we have to do with it? If you have such plans, approach him directly.’ ”
“If there are people wishing to give him some kind of guarantees, be our guest. We will be the first to cross ourselves and say, ‘Thank God, the carnage is over.’ Whether this will end the carnage — that is far from obvious. It is not obvious at all.”
Although Russia has consistently been opposed to international intervention in Syria, Moscow recently observed a shifting balance of military power between the regime and rebel fighters.