Russia welcome in anti-IS coalition if it changes Syria strategy: Obama & Hollande

The United States and France today said they would welcome Russia in the 65-nation global coalition against Islamic State if it changes its strategy in Syria and concentrates its military action on the terror group.

US President Barack Obama and his French counterpart Francois Hollande made their views clear at a joint White House news conference, asserting that the two countries would like Russia to join the international coalition and this would further strengthen the fight against IS.

"President Hollande and I agree that the Russia's strikes against the moderate opposition only bolster the Assad regime, whose brutality has helped to fuel the rise of ISIL. We agree that Russia could play a more constructive role if it were to shift the focus of its strike to defeating ISIL," Obama said.

"Likewise, President Hollande and I agree that the best way to bring peace to Syria is through the principles reaffirmed in Vienna, which require active Russian support for a cease-fire and a political transition away from Assad to a democratically elected government that can unite the Syrian people against terrorists," he said after the Oval office meeting between the two leaders.

Responding to a question, Obama said while the US and France have a coalition of 65 countries who have been active in pushing back IS for quite some time, Obama said Russia right now is a coalition of two -- Iran and Russia, supporting Assad.

"Given Russia's military capabilities and given the influence they have on the Assad regime, them cooperating would be enormously helpful in bringing about resolution of the civil war in Syria and allow us all to refocus our attention on ISIL," Obama said.

"But I think it's important to remember that we've got a global coalition organised. Russia is the outlier. We hope that they refocus their attention on what is the most substantial threat, and that they serve as a constructive partner," he said.

"And if and when they do, it will make it easier for us to go after ISIL and Daesh," he asserted.

Hollande said he would be travelling to Moscow this week to meet the Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"The only purpose is to fight against terrorism and Daesh. This is what we must do, all of us, we, Turkey, Russia. We must find a solution to the Syrian crisis because we can see what the risks are otherwise, the risk of escalation," he said in response to a question.

"I will be travelling to Russia this week because we have this resolution of the Security Council. And it does show that we must take action against Daesh, against terrorism. That resolution has been voted unanimously in a way that was the broadest possible coalition," he said.

"Then I will ask President Putin, as I've done before, what I have told the Russians a number of times already, that the strikes must be against Daesh, against terrorism. And those who precisely are threatening us, they are threatening the Russians," Hollande said.