Our Government is hoping it can get some progress on resolving the Syrian conflict at the United Nations this week.

A recent cease fire has been thrown into jeopardy after coalition forces bombed Syrian troops.

LISTEN ABOVE: NZ Herald Political Editor Audrey Young speaks to Rachel Smalley from New York 

Russia has demanded an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council on the issue while the United States has criticised Russia's positioning.

It has put the Syrian conflict on the table for debate by the UN Security Council while it acts as the body's president, and while world leaders are in New York for UN leaders week.

Prime Minister John Key said the ceasefire in Syria is very fragile but its the starting point for a possible solution.

"If you can stabilise that and then continue to work hard, you can maybe get the patient off life support and move to the next step."

Labour MP David Shearer said with New Zealand holding the Security Council Presidency, it's important we don't take sides and that we try and progress the peace agreement as best we can.

"We're in a very critical position. I think it was right for the New Zealand government to make Syria its focal point for it's month on the presidency and I wish the government all the very best with what they're doing."

Shearer said if the temperature can be brought down between the USA and Russia, the UN Security Council has the potential to take the Syrian peace agreement forward under New Zealand's Presidency.

Already widely violated since it took effect a week ago, the ceasefire came under added strain at the weekend when Russia said jets from the US-led coalition against Islamic State killed more than 60 Syrian soldiers in eastern Syria.

The US-Russian agreement marks the second ceasefire negotiated by Washington and Moscow this year in the hope of advancing a political solution towards ending the war, now in its sixth year, that has killed hundreds of thousands of people.

But while the agreement has led to a significant reduction in fighting over the past week, violence has been increasing in recent days, and a planned delivery of humanitarian aid to besieged rebel-held districts of eastern Aleppo - one of the first steps in the deal - has been repeatedly postponed.

Additional reporting by AAP