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Putin to meet Cameron in London
June 16, 2013, 3:35 pm

The UN says some 1.5 million Syrian refugees have escaped the escalating violence [Getty Images]

The UN says some 1.5 million Syrian refugees have escaped the escalating violence [Getty Images]

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin arrived in London on Sunday to discuss the Syrian crisis with British Prime Minister David Cameron ahead of the G8 summit.

Putin is meeting with Cameron at the Prime Minister’s official Downing Street residence. The talks come in the wake of Washington’s announcement it will provide military support to Syria’s rebels after US intelligence experts said they had “high confidence” the Assad regime had used chemical weapons.

The Syrian government denied the accusations.

Speaking ahead of his meeting with Putin, Cameron said no decision has been taken on whether London will follow the Washington’s lead, and said any such move would be subject to a vote in parliament, the BBC reported.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that US military aid to Syrian rebels may lead to further escalation of violence in the country. He stressed that the US accusations of chemical weapons use by Damascus are “not supported by reliable facts.”

Putin is expected to press for an international conference on Syria.

The UN estimates that 93,000 people have been killed in the Syrian Civil War.

The talks on Sunday will also focus on the Russian-British trade, economic and investment ties, and also energy cooperation. This will be the fourth time Putin and Cameron have had talks. The leaders previously met in May in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Cameron is also expected to meet with US President Barack Obama ahead of the G8 Summit.

Putin will later travel to Northern Ireland, which hosts the summit of G8 world leaders on June 17-18.

RIA Novosti and Agencies