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Fight against Islamic state

It is crucial to support Syrian army in struggle against IS — former Italian PM

Romano Prodi believes Putin and Obama are about to come to terms over Syria

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Turkey, six countries voice concerns over Russia’s military actions in Syria

ROME, October 2. /TASS/. Italy’s former prime minister and former head of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, shares Russia’s opinion it is crucial to support the Syrian government troops for effective struggle against the terrorist organization Islamic State.

"I believe that (Russian and US presidents) Putin and Obama are about to come to terms over Syria. At the UN General Assembly session certain disagreements surfaced, but eventually Putin agreed to deal a strike against the Islamic State. True, the issue on the agenda is a distance war. Neither Russia nor the United States is going to send ground forces. Putin is prepared to support Assad, and Obama is not, but he will have to concede, because bombardments alone will not defeat the Islamic State. It is necessary to strengthen the sole army operating on the ground - Assad’s army," Prodi said.

About the Ukrainian issue Prodi said that Putin had already proposed a solution. He advised to use the experience of Italy’s region Trentino-Alto-Adije as a model of autonomy for Ukraine’s eastern regions.

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