(Creative Commons)

The Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, said Russia would urge Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to put Syria's chemical weapons stockpile under international control in an effort to avoid a possible military strike from the United States.

Secretary of State John Kerry had endorsed this move at a press conference with British foreign secretary William Hague.

This is an astounding development, considering that a week ago Russian president Vladimir Putin was denying evidence of a chemical attack. Russia's new position raises questions on the extent the Russians are working with U.S. diplomats on the issue and whether or not this brings the parties any closer to a political settlement in Syria.

Read more at The Guardian.

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