Fresh talks between US and Russia renew hopes for Syrian peace deal

Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and the US secretary of state, John Kerry, are to meet in Geneva, raising the prospect of a deal on a cessation of hostilities in Syria.

The two men had been hoping to announce a deal at the G20 in China on Monday, but the agreement collapsed in acrimony after the US reportedly accused Russia of reneging on its previous commitments.

“The ministers worked through the remaining details of the agreement on the establishment of a Russian-American cooperation in the fight against terrorist groups operating in Syria, the expansion of access for humanitarian aid and the launch of an intra-Syrian political process,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

Russia and the US have been discussing for months the terms of a comprehensive deal in which the air force of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is brought under the effective control of Russia, and the US and Russia jointly co-ordinate legitimate targets for the Syrians.

According to the Guardian, the US wants fresh assurances that Russia will sanction Syria if it breaks the terms of the ceasefire, but the Syrian air force has said it cannot tolerate being effectively grounded in its own sovereign territory.

The proposed deal would include Jabhat al-Nusra among the opposition groups the Syrians could target.