美俄讨论在叙利亚的行动

Russia and the US, both conducting airstrikes in the country, have held a high-level phone discussion on the current situation. Both claim to target Islamic State but the two powers still trade criticisms of each other's actions.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry held a telephone conversation Thursday. They discussed the current situation in both Syria and Ukraine - and focused on the necessity to avoid accidents in Syrian airspace where both Russia and the US are conducting airstrikes.

The phone call comes the same day Russian President Vladimir Putin said he does not understand how Americans can criticize Russia's actions in Syria while refusing to hold direct dialogue on a political settlement. He called the US position "weak."

Washington has said it's unwilling to send or receive a delegation to discuss cooperation on Syria because Moscow is unwilling to make what it says is a "constructive" contribution to the fight against ISIL.

Moscow insists it's hitting ISIL targets in Syria. Its campaign is now in its third week.

On Thursday Russia's Defense Ministry said its air force made 33 sorties over Syria in the past 24 hours, hitting 32 Islamic State targets - fewer than half the number of sorties flown Tuesday.

The US says Russia's true aim is to help bolster President Bashar al-Assad, whose forces have been gaining ground in Syria.

For now, with Lavrov and Kerry talking, it seems that Moscow and Washington are at least willing to try to keep their airstrikes from creating greater danger in the skies over Syria.