Our priority in Syria, really hasn't changed. I think the President Donald Trump has been quite clear. First and foremost, we must defeat ISIS.

As far as I know, the line of communication between the U.S. and Russia continues to be open and the battlefield commanders are able to communicate with one another. I am aware that there have been certain public statements made out of Moscow.

I would want to be fully informed before advising the president.

We express America's values from the State Department. We represent the American people. We represent America's values, our commitment to freedom, our commitment to equal treatment to people the world over. And that message has never changed.

I think continued actions by Bashar al-Assad clearly call into any question of him expecting to have any legitimacy to continue as the leader of Syria. With each of those actions, like attack with conventional weapons, barrel bombs and block humanitarian aid he really undermines his own legitimacy.

Once the ISIS threat has been reduced or eliminated, I think we can turn our attention directly to stabilizing the situation in Syria. We're hopeful that we can prevent a continuation of the civil war and that we can bring the parties to the table to begin the process of political discussions.

I think what we're hopeful is through this Syrian process, working with coalition members, working with the U.N., and in particular working through the Geneva process, that we can navigate a political outcome in which the Syrian people, in fact, will determine Bashar al-Assad's fate and his legitimacy.