France calls out Russia on commitment

President Hollande says Moscow needs to act on promises

BRUSSELS // French president Francois Hollande yesterday lashed out at Russia over its role in the siege of Aleppo, saying Moscow had broken a promise to help trapped civilians. “Russia is making commitments it is not keeping,” he said as he arrived for an European Union summit. “There’s a moment where you have to answer with action.”

Citing Russia and Iran, Mr Hollande said governments supporting Syrian president Bashar Al Assad would “take the responsibility for this extremely serious situation”. He also hit back at accusations he had failed to fully engage with Russia, which has emerged as a key player in the Syrian conflict after launching an extensive air campaign last year to support Mr Al Assad, a long-time ally.

“I speak all the time with Russia,” Mr Hollande said. “Russia makes commitments that it does not meet, so now it is time we have this truce and urgent humanitarian aid.

France yesterday requested urgent closed-door consultations at the United Nations Security Council about the evacuation of civilians from Aleppo and plans for deliveries of aid to the city.

France is working with Germany and other EU countries to push for the deployment of observers to Aleppo to monitor the situation as Syrian forces move to assert full control over the city, said French ambassador Francois Delattre.

“In these very dark days in Aleppo, it is critically important to have international observers under the surveillance of the UN to oversee the situation.” The man who hopes to succeed Mr Hollande as president, Francois Fillon, said that the fall of Aleppo marked the failure of western, and especially European, foreign policy and that it was pointless for the West to wring its hands. Instead, it should face facts, however unpalatable. “We are now obliged to acknowledge the failure of western diplomacy and more particularly European diplomacy,” said Mr Fillon. “If we want now to stop the massacre, there are only two solutions. First, a military intervention, which no one wants and only the Americans could mount, or a sustained diplomatic effort to bring all parties to the negotiating table – even those today committing crimes.”

But in London, British defence minister Michael Fallon said Mr Al Assad had to step down as president.

“We don’t see a future for president Assad in Syria, even if he defeats the opposition in Aleppo,” said Mr Fallon after a meeting of key members of the US- led coalition fighting ISIL in Syria and Iraq. “There is no victory in bombing hospitals, in restricting humanitarian aid and ending up in a country that you only control 40 per cent of.”