Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu delivers a speech during the annual international military-technical forum "ARMY" at Patriot Expocentre in Moscow Region, Russia August 21, 2018. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday that the Russian military was in talks with leaders of armed groups in Syria’s rebel-held Idlib province to reach a peace settlement, Russian news agency RIA reported.

Shoigu said the aim of the Idlib talks was to reach peaceful resolution similar to the settlements in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta and Deraa, RIA said.