Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday Western countries' policies had created chaos in Syria.

Russian President Vladimir Putin [File?photo]

"The main thing is that our partners cannot stop. They have already created an atmosphere of chaos in many territories and are now continuing the same policy in other countries, including Syria," Putin said in a meeting with local residents in the central Russian region of Ryazan.

The president said Russia's stance on developments in the Middle East was "to facilitate changes for the better in those countries, but not to impose, particularly by force, what we think is right and stir up internal events."

"We have warned of the need to act carefully, in order to avoid chaos. But what do we see now? The situation looks very much like chaos," Putin said.

The Syrian issue has been the subject of heated discussion at the ongoing annual debate of the 67th session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

Russia has reiterated it sees no alternative to a political solution to the 18-month crisis in Syria.