Moscow — Russia on Friday proposed conducting joint airstrikes with the U.S.-led coalition in Syria against an al-Qaida-linked group and other factions, an escalation in an ongoing strategy by Moscow to seek more coordination with the West and its allies in the Syrian conflict.

Speaking at a gathering of military and political leaders in Moscow, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu suggested that joint airstrikes begin Wednesday against forces that have not signed a fast-unraveling truce in Syria’s civil war.

“We propose … a joint action between the Russian air force and the U.S.-led coalition to plan and conduct strikes against the al-Nusra Front, which does not support the cease-fire, as well as against convoys of arms and fighters crossing the Syrian-Turkish border,” Shoigu said, according to a translation of the televised remarks by Russian state media.

His reference was to Jabhat al-Nusra, often described as al-Qaida’s affiliate in Syria.

The State Department responded quickly that such an agreement does not exist and that officials have only been discussing a better way to monitor and enforce a cease-fire in the country.

“There is no agreement to conduct joint airstrikes with the Russians in Syria,” said State Department spokesman John Kirby.

Several Pentagon officials also said they were not immediately aware of any changes in the arrangement for separate U.S. and Russian air operations in Syria. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters.

The Pentagon now holds periodic video conferences with Russian officials on their separate airstrikes in Syria but has said repeatedly that the communications are limited to flight safety. “We don’t have any plans to expand that,” one official said.