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US and Russia in 'parallel universe' on Syria ceasefire

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov have clashed at the UN over the failed Syria ceasefire.

It follows the attack on an aid convoy in Syria which killed 21 people, which the US blamed on Russia but Moscow has denied any involvement in.

Here are the key developments:

  • The attack on Monday night left at least 21 people dead, aid agencies said
  • The aid convoy was delivering aid for 78,000 people at the time of the attack
  • The United States believes two Russian jets carried out the airstrike, something Russia has denied
  • At the UN, Mr Kerry appeared to suggest Mr Lavrov was a 'spoiler' who 'shredded' any hopes of a ceasefire
  • Mr Kerry has also called for no-fly zones to be implemented in Syria
  • Mr Lavrov said a ceasefire would only work if there was a comprehensive approach with simultaneous steps taken by all parties involved
  • The UN has said it will resume humanitarian aid convoys within Syria
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US: 'Russia in a parallel universe' on Syria

The US Secretary of State has slammed his Russian counterpart during a blistering attack at the UN Security Council meeting in New York.

John Kerry appeared to suggest Sergey Lavrov was a "spoiler" who "shredded" any hopes of a ceasefire.

He said: "I listened to my colleague from Russia - and I sort of felt [we're] in a parallel universe here.

"He [Sergey Lavrov] said that nobody should have any preconditions to come to the table. Well, we met in Vienna twice. We met in New York, and embraced the United Nations security council resolution.

"We met again in Munich. And in each place, the international Syria support group - and here in the UN Security Council - embraced a ceasefire applicable to all parties.

"That's not a precondition. That's an international agreement. Four times arrived at. Four times countries have said 'we will do this'. And four times it's been shredded by independent actors, by spoilers who don't want a ceasefire."

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US and Russia in 'parallel universe' on Syria ceasefire

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