Kerry to meet with Putin on Syria, Ukraine next week

US Secretary of State John Kerry will hold talks next week with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Syria and Ukraine.

The State Department says Kerry will travel from Paris to Moscow on Monday, after attending a ministerial meeting on Syria in the French capital. Kerry will see Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (SEHR'-gay LAHV'-rahf) on Tuesday.

The trip will be Kerry's second to Russia this year. He visited Sochi (SOH'-chee) in May.

Ties between the former Cold War foes were severely strained when Russia annexed the Crimea region of Ukraine last year. Tensions escalated after Russia began military operations in Syria in late September.