Arab League and UN envoy Kofi Annan is set to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow for talks on the Syrian crisis against a backdrop of renewed violence in Damascus. There have been reports of heavy clashes in the capital which cannot be independently verified.

However Russia have signalled in advance of the talks that there is unlikely to be any change in their position with regards to Syria. The reiteration is in response to a proposed resolution which could include the use of sanctions against Syria.