Russia criticizes EU decision to allow arming of Syrian rebels

Russia has severely criticized Europe's decision to allow the arming of Syrian rebels, saying it undercuts international efforts to negotiate an end to the civil war.

The European Union decision, coupled with Russia's renewed pledge to supply Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime with advanced missiles, could transform an already brutal civil war into an East-West proxy fight, a Fox News report has said.

Israel, meanwhile, threatened to strike such air defense missiles systems if delivered to Syria, portraying them as a threat to the Jewish state and raising the risk of regional conflagration.

The possibility of an arms race in Syria overshadowed attempts by the U.S. and Russia to bring representatives of the Assad regime and Syria's political opposition to peace talks at an international conference in Geneva, possibly next month.

Russia has repeatedly said it is only selling Syria defensive weapons and is not signing new contracts, just honouring those already signed, but had been ambiguous over whether such contracts included the S300 system.

After the EU announcement, the Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov gave the strongest indication yet that Moscow does plan to give Syria the system.

The US also gave its backing to the EU's decision.