Tillerson says it's unclear whether Russian Federation failed to take seriously its obligations in Syria or has been incompetent.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was icy toward Tillerson Wednesday as they met for the first time.
"We have seen very alarming actions recently with an unlawful attack against Syria", Lavrov said in reference to the missile strike last Thursday on a western Syria air base.
The diplomats were photographed unsmiling as they shook hands Wednesday.
On his way into the meeting with Tillerson, Lavrov said he believed the visit was timely as Russian Federation saw what it called "troubling actions" last week in Syria, a reference to the USA bombing an air field in that country.
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Tillerson became the first member of the Trump administration to visit the country, and the chilly reception came as the White House bashed Russian Federation for its support of the Assad regime that runs Syria.
His comments, aired Wednesday on Fox Business News, come less than a week after Trump ordered a retaliatory strike on Syria based on USA evidence that Syrian President Bashar Assad attacked civilians with chemical weapons.
While the conflict in Syria is expected to be discussed, President Trump blamed Russia-whose government backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad-for issues in the Middle Eastern country. "I think Syria would be a lot better off right now than it has been".
The high-stakes talks between Tillerson and Lavrov come less than a week after the USA launched the airstrikes, triggering a deterioration in ties between the two governments.
Tillerson is traveling Tuesday to Moscow.
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