Transcript for Tillerson to discuss Syrian conflict in Moscow meetings

Hey everybody I'm on the devised line in New York. The latest now in Russia secretary of state Rex Tillerson has landed in Moscow it's his first trip to Russia since taking the post as top diplomat. Of course there heightened tensions between the US and Russia a lot to break down. We're gonna join our colleague in Moscow right now Patrick are valve was covering secretary Tillerson visit more arrests. Patrick how you doing today. We've just seen at the sacred these Medicaid arrived at the US embassy up the river from me just behind that old building. And the stakes are this can't really episode growing and growing. And really also the same time the outcome of the hope of getting plus that outcome is becoming more more difficult even as. As as as I says is plane was landing. Have ultimately and result was on N. Saying that they have new information that Russia has new information that there are new chemical attacks being planned in serious to frame the Syrian government. And to provoke fresh USA to them as strikes on Syria in so you know we see from that. That there is that they're backing down from Russia the moment on his defense of the regime bash out a side. All it it you know is its defense of him January and claimed that it wasn't to blame. For these chemical attacks say you know already was seeing is going to be quite difficult trip. Phillips I can tell us. GAAP Patrick that's backed that up a little bit now those comments from President Putin. We're basically floating a new conspiracy theory that somehow people on the ground are planting chemical weapons and then blaming the Syrian regime for them and we know. Russian officials were incredibly critical of the US after president trump. Chose to launch those airstrikes last week so describe for me now what is this dynamic that Rex Tillerson is walking into especially. After basically accusing the government of being either incompetent or complicit in those chemical attacks. Yeah I mean basically at the moment we seem to be watching the US and Russia kind of coming together very much and to. Very contradicting pots where you have the US accusing Russia is basically being complicit in a chemical attack and then on the other side the Russians insisting that not only are they not complicit but sort of dousing that the attack even took place. Says doesn't seem to be really much middle ground that. Pain Rex Tillerson. At head of that ahead of his strain as has been suggesting that you he thinks he can. Maybe perhaps find some common ground with the Russians but you know me see these statements coming from. The creme and use you see that there isn't at the moment very much hope all of that these publicly. There we know they're obviously a lot of other points of discussion that Syria and both countries' involvement in Syria has. Obviously been in the headlines and his sort of brought these two to an end here it had a crispy don't know. What's happening behind closed doors but. But then Patrick back here a lot of people have been seeking clarity from this administration on exactly what that policy it's we've heard semi contradictory statements. From the UN ambassador. The US ambassador to the UN here Nikki Haley. Also from Rex Tillerson the secretary of state previously it White House contends that those comments are not contradictory actually complementary. But what's the view from Russia about how the US. Use what should happen in Siri. Yeah I mean I think. Very much so that there's a sense that they don't know actually water Rex Tillerson is coming to him on all of them in a way because as we saw earlier in the week the scenes Venus six. My suddenly that some administration suggesting it would no longer tolerate. I shall aside being in and now recesses used to sort of wolf that that's somewhat or at least it saying we don't want him in the long run day. In the unit not saying whether or not US one cents a guy. Talking Silas hair and readings of comments from officials in in in the state media. They basically were one of the main goals we we see here that the Russians want to get from this trip. Is basically just to find out what it is US really wants in Syria and it doesn't really. Does it really want us and a sad to be kind of removed as soon as possible in the yankees'. And that I think. This is thing of uncertainty is very much what the Russians are saying here as well. After we saw immediately after this airstrikes last week strong condemnation from Russian officials. But I'm curious about the conversation among the rest of the people there how are our Russian people feeling. What the US is doing and how they're acting in Syria right now their stance towards Russia as well. I mean most Russians can you get their news from state Sowells again follow the government line is they don't believe. That the Syrian government was a series of blame for the attack that perfectly willing to believe it was some kind of staged attack by the rebels and honesty they move very quickly on Sybase just thinking that the US is being kind of I aggressive kind of in comprehensively aggressive and that this is sort of just a classic way of setting out Russia yet again. Perhaps civil sanctions perhaps Sydney just painted as the bad guy and I as the general acceded. You know the vast majority of. An average Russians. If Patrick president Gooden said something else earlier today that really struck me he started to draw a line. Between what he sees happening now the US launching airstrikes and talking about chemical weapons in Syria back to 2003. When that the US was talking about that that possibility of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq which of course as we all now was part of the run up. To what ended at being a disastrous war there. I keep people there think that this is actually part of a strategy. On the on the part of the US to launch a similar kind of an effort is Syria. Yeah I'm not sure quite how deep that thought really guys and in many ways you know. Since see it seems to strike happens. Russian state media and Russian officials have in the city kind of just built this straight NC a NASA they had here going for a long time. That that way that the west in the US are obsessed with regime change in different countries including in Russia and that's the key thing they always wants him tonight. That the west is out to trying to topple the Kremlin and say you know any what they like to do is just kind of points in Libya and points the Iraq War. And say that this strays. This could be repeated its air which you today. How actually deeply any they believe that it is totally open to debate. Spain but as Stephanie very much that propaganda Nazi day and then -- that kind of pushed back narrative that they have against. The American accusations against the European accusations that that backing. Stressed that and that backing basically a war criminal. So secretary Tillerson is going to be meeting wave his counterpart there at foreign minister Lavrov. Will he meet with president couldn't do we have any idea about that. Say I mean as pot at this kind of it's showed dissatisfaction. With the US strikes that they've been kind of instinct that foods and perhaps we'll shun. Tennyson bodies here in AS today at Putin's spokesman said the basically. It's not in the Skagit at the moment that the same time. As is feeling hit it will be very very surprising if they too if the two don't need at some point Samara that being anonymous sources in some of the Russian press this morning saying that it will happen. That unit out sort of playing ploy. Basically there's just showed that dot so dissatisfied wave the current behavior of the US. Patrick before I let you go all of this is happening against the backdrop of an ongoing investigation here of course. In two Russian meddling in the 2016 US. Election how is that being talked about there if at all. Definitely as being displaced very much bye bye this area crisis at the moment I think what I think you have to kind of remember that this is remarkable thing they most ordinary Russians. Don't believe that there was any meddling from that also just kind of think the whole thing is nonsense that's body because that's what they get told over and over again state media. And o's estate medial. Actually strangely enough sometimes. Just doesn't mention the meddling even when they even went as it sort of boiling point in the US accusations of rushing to variance really really. Heated in the US heavy hand because sometimes have complete silence about it and almost nothing in the press so Lessig as a kind of almost sort of forgetting about that and now. It's all on whether it. It's all basically focused on Syria and whether there's some sort of attempt by the US now to get more involved in the conflict that. Patrick and now live for us in Moscow with the latest thanks after. And thanks to you for joining us well ahead covered abcnews.com. For more on that story and continuing coverage. A secretary Thompson's visit to Russia stay right here for your latest live news for now I'm om and Abbas and I'll see you back here in.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.