Vienna and Moscow, Asharq Al-Awsat—Russia’s military action in Syria is fueling the conflict there, Saudi FM Adel Al-Jubeir has said ahead of a meeting with his American, Russian and Turkish counterparts scheduled to take place in Vienna on Friday.

Addressing reporters in the Austrian capital on Thursday, Jubeir said the conflict in Syria will not end without the unconditional departure of President Bashar Al-Assad.

Syria has been in turmoil since early 2011 when a peaceful uprising morphed into a bloody conflict that pits Western-backed rebel groups against government forces backed by Iran and Russia. Last month, Moscow stepped up its military presence in Syria and launched a military campaign aimed mainly against Western-backed rebels although it initially said it targets the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group.

On Friday, US Secretary of State John Kerry will meet with the foreign ministers of Russia, Turkey and Saudi Arabia in Vienna to discuss ways to end the Syrian conflict that has killed more than 250,000 people and displaced half of the country’s pre-war population.

The Saudi FM described the Russian intervention in Syria as extremely dangerous, warning that it could stir public sentiments against Moscow and in the process increase the flow of foreign fighters.

Asked whether Assad can have a role in any transitional government in Syria, Jubeir said the only way for him to help end the war would be to leave.

“The best scenario would be to wake up one morning with Assad gone,” the Saudi FM said.

Turkey, one of Assad’s staunchest opponents, will accept Assad staying in power for a “symbolic” six-month period that leads to the formation of a transitional government, Reuters quoted two government official as saying on Tuesday.

Turkey’s acceptance came after it received signals from Moscow pointing towards its readiness to consider the fate of the beleaguered president, a Turkish government official has told Asharq Al-Awsat.

However, Moscow appears to be pushing for an 18-month transitional period, with Assad part of power, to be followed by presidential elections in which Assad can participate, something which Assad’s opponents oppose, the source said.

The fact that Russia is involved in negotiations over the fate of Assad has been seen as a “positive sign” by some in the Syrian opposition who insist that Assad cannot be a partner in any potential transitional government or participate in any future elections.

Meanwhile, Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said in televised remarks on Thursday that Moscow would like to see other regional countries involved in the talks over Syria, especially Iran.

Jubeir, on the other hand, said Iran is part of the problem and cannot be part of the solution.

Sami Amara contributed additional reporting from Moscow