UN envoy Staffan de Mistura attends the Geneva peace talks on Syria, July 10, 2017. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

His statement came amid the ongoing seventh round of peace talks in Geneva between the Syrian government and opposition parties. After meeting with the government delegation, De Mistura said he is not expecting breakthroughs during this week's talks, but does hope for some progress. He said discussions are being held in Amman to monitor a ceasefire in southwest Syria brokered by the US and Russia, the first peacemaking effort in this war by President Donald Trump.