MUNICH, Germany -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that for an agreement on a cessation of hostilities in Syria to work, it is "critical" for Russia to change the targets of its bombing campaign.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on February 13, Kerry also suggested that Russia has agreed to work toward this goal.
The cessation of hostilities agreement reached by nations in the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) in Munich on February 12 does not include Islamic State (IS) militants and Al-Nusra, Al-Qaida's Syrian affiliate.
Russia says those groups are its main targets, but Western governments say the majority of Russia's air strikes have targeted other opponents of the Syrian government, including Western-backed rebels.
For the agreement to work, it is "critical that Russia's targeting change," Kerry said.
He said the "entire ISSG," including Russia, had agreed to work on that.
The cessation of hostilities is supposed to begin in a week.
