EU threatens to increase sanctions on Russia over Syria

EU leaders are considering the possibility of increasing sanctions if Russia does not immediately stop its air campaign in the city of Aleppo.

The warning was made at the two-day EU Summit in Brussels, Belgium, to discuss the bloc's future strategy and international issues of concern.

Russia's continued airstrikes in Aleppo have become a pretext for the EU to increase sanctions against Russia. Photo: AP.

According to European Council President Donald Tusk, the EU is considering many "open options" which do not exclude increasing sanctions against Russia.

The draft summit statement said the EU was leaning towards extending sanctions to “those who support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad” if they did not immediately stop what the EU called “war crimes” in Aleppo.

Ahead of the Conference and after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Berlin, the French President and German Chancellor also hinted that the EU would increase sanctions against Russia over the Syria issue.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed that it was necessary to clarify Russia's responsibility in the worsening crisis in Syria and that the top demand now was for Russia and the Damascus government to immediately end the air campaign in Aleppo.

The move by European leaders came two days after the Russian and Syrian air forces announced a temporary halt to airstrikes in Aleppo city to create safe corridors for civilians to evacuate and facilitate humanitarian aid.

Along with that, Russian President Putin also announced that Russia is ready to extend the ceasefire "for as long as possible" but it still depends on the situation on the ground.

According to VOV