Putin defends Russia's air strikes

President Vladimir Putin has defended Russia's military operations in Syria, saying the aim is to stabilise the legitimate authority of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Russia wants to create conditions for a political compromise in Syria, he told Russian state TV.

On Monday the EU's foreign affairs chief, Federica Mogherini, called Russia's role a game-changer. She said: It has some very worrying elements.

EU ministers are discussing Syria now.

Going into the Luxembourg meeting, several foreign ministers stressed that air strikes should only target so-called Islamic State (IS) fighters and other Islamist terrorists.

The US and UK governments have accused Russia of attacking mainly moderate" anti-Assad groups, rather than the jihadists.

Mr Putin denied that that was the case.

Mr Putin said that without Moscow's support for President Assad, there was a danger that "terrorist groups" could overrun Syria.

Mr Assad's government was currently "under siege", he said, adding that militants were "at the edge of Damascus.

He also urged other nations to unite efforts against this evil (terrorism).

The US-led coalition - which has been carrying out its own air strikes in Syria - earlier said it would not be co-operating with Russia.

Several countries - including the UK and Turkey - have described Russia's support for President Assad as a "mistake.

Russia said on Sunday its aircraft had carried out more than 60 missions over Syria in the past 24 hours, and that IS was its main target. The attacks began on 30 September.

Meanwhile  Mr Putin met with Saudi Arabia's Defence Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday about the possibility of a political solution in Syria, where Moscow has been conducting airstrikes since late September

The two huddled in the southern Russian city of Sochi and were joined by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Energy Minister Alexander Novak.