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

Vyacheslav Dzirkaln made the announcement Monday.

In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin said the Syrian government and the opposition groups should be “forced” to enter negotiations. His remarks came hours after his foreign minister met with a senior Syrian Opposition leader in Moscow.

In Damascus, United Nations special envoy Kofi Annan said Monday he and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have agreed on an approach to end the violence.

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