Russian president Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart, Francois Hollande, on Nov. 26, 2015, agreed on a coalition to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS), who have carried out brutal attacks on both countries. Speaking at a joint news conference in Moscow, the French president said the military cooperation with Russia will help in annihilating the caliphate.
“France has stepped up its actions thanks to the presence of the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier and will continue targeting ISIS territories in Syria,” said Hollande. He added that it is time the two countries joined hands in fighting the terror group, as “Russia is also a victim.”
In response, Putin acknowledged that ISIS should be stopped and the Kremlin will support Paris in fighting the terror group. “Our positions are the same and we should join forces in fighting terrorists,” said Putin. He then assured Hollande that his country is “prepared to work with [France]” in the fight against the Islamic State.
The Kremlin has recently been blamed for fuelling the civil war in Syria by supporting President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Russia maintains that any power transition in Syria should include Assad, a position which the West views as retrogressive.
By Shepherd Mutsvara
Sources:
The Washington Post: Russia “Prepared to Work With You,” Putin Tells Hollande
Image Courtesy of Karl-Ludwig Poggemann’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
