Obama, Merkel slam Russia, Syrian government airstrikes on Aleppo

United States  President, Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel has slammed airstrikes by Russia and the Syrian government on the northern Syrian city of Aleppo. White House statement said on Friday in Washington that this was discussed during telephone conservation between the two leaders. It said that Obama and Merkel agreed that Russia and […]

United States  President, Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel has slammed airstrikes by Russia and the Syrian government on the northern Syrian city of Aleppo.

White House statement said on Friday in Washington that this was discussed during telephone conservation between the two leaders.

It said that Obama and Merkel agreed that Russia and the Syrian government “bear special responsibility for ending the fighting in Syria and granting the UN humanitarian access to besieged and hard to reach areas in Syria.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, also said at a conference that the U.S. is “on the verge” of calling off talks with Russia over military cooperation in Syria after the failure of the ceasefire.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, said in response that Russia sees no alternative to a diplomatic settlement of the Syrian crisis with the United States.

The senior Russian official reiterated Moscow’s stance, blaming Washington for failing to fulfill its obligations and commitments.

Ryabkov said Moscow believed that the move has caused the collapse of the Russia-U.S. brokered truce accord

Meanwhile, Ramzy Ramzy, UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, said in Geneva that the heavy aerial bombardments is hitting hard the east Aleppo and the indiscriminate shelling in western parts of the city.

The envoy described it as a serious threat to the lives of civilians while further hampering the delivery of critical aid.