WASHINGTON — The Obama administration, frustrated by Syria’s ongoing violence, told Russia on Tuesday to “put up or shut up” about implementing a cease-fire in the Arab country, even as the U.S. backpedaled from an agreement for the truce to begin by Friday.
Washington and Moscow announced after a conference in Germany last week that the cease-fire would start by Feb. 19, raising hopes of a major breakthrough in a war that has raged for nearly five years, killed more than 250,000 people, beset Europe with its worst refugee crisis since World War II and helped the Islamic State emerge.
State Department spokesman Mark Toner on Tuesday blamed Russia for the impasse, condemning it for “unacceptable” attacks, adding Russia must exert influence with Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government to halt its ground offensives.
