MOSCOW, November 28. /TASS/. Russia’s presidential aide Yuri Ushakov has welcomed the active steps of US Secretary of State John Kerry on normalizing the situation in Syria.

"They (Kerry’s efforts) can be called extraordinary as there have never been so many phone contacts between the Secretary of State and the Russian foreign minister focusing on one issue - Syria," Ushakov told reporters.

Ushakov found it difficult to assess chances of reaching a deal with Washington on Syria until the current US administration ends its work. "He (Kerry) is taking very active steps (for it)," he added.