During his Syria visit, Russian President Vladimir Putin told Bashar Assad Monday he wanted to work with Turkey and Iran to kick-start the Syrian peace process, Russian news agencies reported, according to Reuters.

Putin was also cited as telling Assad he hoped it would be possible to launch the work of the Syrian National Dialogue Congress while discussing the matter with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

On May 4, Russia, Turkey and Iran signed a deal in the Kazakh capital Astana to establish de-escalation zones in Syria. The May 4 de-escalation zone agreement envisages the halt of hostilities between Assad's regime forces and moderate opposition groups within the zones as well as the creation of conditions for humanitarian access, medical assistance, the return of displaced civilians to their homes and the restoration of damaged infrastructure.

The guarantor states previously agreed to take all measures necessary to continue fighting Daesh, the Al-Nusra Front and other terrorist groups both within and beyond the de-escalation zones.