WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson spoke by phone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday, discussing issues and concerns about Syria, said the U.S. State Department in a statement.

"On Syria, the two discussed Russia's role in ensuring the Assad regime plays a constructive role in the UN-led Geneva process," according to the statement.

The latest round of Geneva peace talks on Syria ended last month, without yielding any intended results.

Also in December, Tillerson acknowledged the commitment from Russia, a key player in Syria, to the United Nations-backed Geneva political process to achieve peace in Syria.

During their phone call, the two also discussed the upcoming meeting on Ukraine by special representatives from both countries and the ongoing situation on the Korean peninsular, said the statement.