Tillerson to push Russians on Syria, Ukraine

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during his visit to Russia would press Moscow to honour its international commitments on Syria, Ukraine and Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty treaty, the White House said today.
"Russia must fully honour the commitments it made on Syria, Ukraine, and the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, and other topics of international concern. And Secretary Tillerson is going to make that clear during his visit," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters at his daily news conference.
The White House official slammed Russia for siding with the Assad regime that has used chemical weapons against its own people.

"If you're Russia, ask yourself, is this a country that you and a regime that you want to align yourself with?" he said.
"You have previously signed onto international agreements rightfully acknowledging that the use of chemical weapons should be out of bounds by every country. To not stand up... should be troubling. This is Russia putting their name on the line," he said.
Look at the countries that are standing with them -- Iran, Syria, North Korea.

"This is not a team you want to be on. I think that Russia has to recognise that, while they may have had an alliance with them, that the lines that have been crossed are ones that no country should ever want to see another country cross," he said.

Spicer alleged that the Russians have aligned themselves with North Korea, Syria and Iran.
"That's not exactly a group of countries that you're looking to hang out with. With the exception of Russia, they are all failed states," he said.
"Russia is not an island when it comes to its support of Syria or its lack of, frankly, acknowledgement of what happened. The facts are on our side. The actions of Syria are reprehensible. And I think that Russia has been party to several international agreements that Syria is not holding up to. In fact Russia needs to hold themselves up to (them)," Spicer said.

Trump, he said, has been very clear with his stance on Russia.
"In this particular case, we're going to be very forceful, and I think as will Secretary Tillerson during his visit, to make sure that we let Russia know that they need to live up to the obligations it has made," Spicer said.
Tillerson arrived in Moscow earlier in the day to confront the Russian leaders over the Syria issue.