U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, while speaking with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Friday, said the attack in Nice showed the growing need for action to stamp out terrorism, particularly in Syria.
Kerry is visiting Moscow in an effort to secure Russian cooperation in anti-terror operations in Syria, despite a breakdown in U.S.-Russia relations over Ukraine, NATO and other issues that have left both sides simmering with distrust.
Thursday night, a man driving a truck drove through a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day along Nice's seaside promenade, killing at least 84 people and injuring dozens of others. Kerry referred to the “incredible carnage” in Nice when he said something needs to be done about terrorists in Syria.
Kerry's two days of talks with the Russians are expected to touch on a wide range of issues; but, leaked reports first published by The Washington Post suggest the top U.S. diplomat is offering Putin something dramatic: a U.S.-Russia military alliance against Islamic State, al-Qaida and other extremist groups in Syria.