Frame grab shows a pilot of the Russian air force inside the cabin of a military jet during a sortie in Syria.

NATO head Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday that Russia’s intense air strikes in Syria, mostly targeting rebel forces, are “undermining” efforts to find a political solution to the war.

“What we have seen is that the intense Russian air strikes mainly targeting opposition groups in Syria are undermining the efforts to find a political solution to the conflict,” Stoltenberg said as he arrived for talks in Amsterdam with EU defense ministers.

A Russian proposal to set up an advisory body in Amman to coordinate actions in Syria was rejected by the United States and its Western allies, Interfax news agency quoted Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov as saying on Friday.

“Our minister proposed holding a telephone conversation with (U.S. Defense Secretary) Ashton Carter on Jan. 19, but we were given to understand that such a talk was not expedient,” Antonov said.

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