Putin, Assad hail progress in Syria

SOCHI, Russia - Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday in the southern Russian city and said the military success of Damascus in Syria allowed for a large-scale political process leading to the withdrawal of foreign forces and the reconstruction of the country.

"After the success of the Syrian government army in the fight against the terrorists", the conditions are in place for "the start of a political process on a major scale", Putin said in a statement released by the Kremlin following the meeting.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that "there were detailed discussions" between the two leaders, who last met in December at a Russian military air base in Syria's coastal province of Latakia.