Russia will keep on supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government if the US launches strikes against the Middle East country, President Vladimir Putin said.

‘‘Will we help Syria? We will,’’ Putin told reporters in St Petersburg on Friday after discussing the Syrian issue with US President Barack Obama and other world leaders at the Group of 20 summit in St Petersburg.

At odds: Russian President Vladimir Putin walks past US President Barack Obama during a group photo at the G20 Summit in St Petersburg. Credit:Reuters

‘‘We are already helping them with weapons and we are cooperating in the economic and humanitarian spheres.’’

Putin said on the eve of the forum that Russia may resume deliveries of advanced S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Syria if Obama carries through on his threat to attack selected targets to punish Assad for allegedly using chemical weapons.