Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the United States is trying to isolate the eastern bank of the Euphrates River in Syria through establishing military facilities there.

“We are concerned that the United States is strengthening its presence on the eastern bank of the Euphrates on much of the Syrian territory up to the border with Iraq, despite the US repeated assurances that its only goal in Syria lies in the war against terrorism”.
Lavrov noted, adding: “It is not only strengthening its military facilities, but also establishing a power that is loyal to and financed by it, all of which isolates these areas from the rest of Syrian territory.”
Lavrov said that “the United States has affirmed that it does not seek to divide Syria, but it was not convincing.” He expressed his hope that Trump would commit to the promises of withdrawal from Syria after the defeat of Daesh.