U.S. and Russia Discuss Syria Ceasefire Ahead of UN Meeting 🇺🇸🇷🇺

U.S. and Russian military officials have held talks in Geneva ahead of a wider meeting on Friday aimed at trying to secure a cessation of hostilities in Syria, diplomats said.<br />United Nations spokesman Michele Zaccheo said the larger meeting of the International Syria Support Group would take place at the United Nations on Friday afternoon.<br />Moscow hopes that agreements on a cease-fire in Syria will be reached on Friday, Interfax news agency quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov as saying on Thursday.<br />Russian air strikes begun last September saved President Bashar Assad's forces after months of military gains by rebels and turned the tide of fighting in his favour, exasperating the United States and its allies which have been working for years to defeat him.