The Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman says a U.S. refusal to cooperate with Russia on Syria would be a gift to “terrorists.”

Maria Zakharova said in a Thursday Facebook post that if Washington follows up on its threat to cut off cooperation with Russia in trying to settle the Syrian crisis, it would mean that “the White House has taken the militants under its wing.” She added it would make the best possible “present to terrorists.”

Zakharova’s statement comes amid escalating tensions between Moscow and Washington after the collapse of a U.S.-Russia-brokered truce and the Syrian army’s onslaught on Aleppo.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday that Washington is “on the verge” of ending Syria talks with Moscow in response to days of deadly attacks on Aleppo.

Source: hosted.ap.org