The following is attributable to Spokesperson John Kirby:
Secretary of State John Kerry spoke today via phone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to reiterate our serious concerns over the ongoing threats to the Cessation of Hostilities in Syria and the urgent need for the Assad regime to stop its violations of the cessation. Secretary Kerry and Foreign Minister Lavrov reaffirmed the importance of the preservation and solidification of the cessation and said that all parties needed to comply with the cessation. Secretary Kerry said the United States expected Russia to urge the regime to comply with the cessation and that we would work with the opposition to do the same.
The Secretary also registered our strong objections to unsafe maneuvers executed by Russian military aircraft over the USS Donald Cook in the Baltic Sea.
On Ukraine, Secretary Kerry urged Russia to end the violence all along the line of contact, fully implement its Minsk commitments, and immediately release Nadiya Savchenko and all other remaining hostages.
