A senior Russian defense official says Moscow will not sell more weapons to Syria until the situation there calms down.

Vyacheslav Dzirkaln made the announcement Monday.

The United States and other countries have been pushing Moscow to stop its cooperation with Damascus, saying it helps the crackdown on Syria's opposition.

International envoy Kofi Annan has met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in talks the former U.N. chief called “constructive and candid.”

Mr. Annan said the two discussed ways to end the violence and had agreed on an approach that he would share with the opposition.

Mr. Annan has been trying for months to implement a peace plan in Syria, but has admitted that the efforts have failed.