On the background of the exceedingly grave situation of the civil population in Eastern-Ghouta near Damascus, Syria, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have turned to Vladimir Putin today with a joint letter striving for Russian support for the UN Security Council resolution currently discussed on a ceasefire and humanitarian assistance. It is now time to act.

France and Germany condemn in the strongest possible terms the deliberate and indiscriminate attacks against civilian populations, including very large numbers of children, and against civil and medical infrastructure in clear violation of the most fundamental international humanitarian law. France and Germany condemn, too, attacks on civilians in Damascus and on the Russian Embassy there. Nevertheless, these do not set aside the obligation and responsibility to protect the civilian population in Eastern-Ghouta and elsewhere.

In the face of the suffering of the people of Eastern Ghouta, France and Germany call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the implementation of a humanitarian truce to allow aid to be provided to civilian populations and emergency medical evacuations to take place, as has been requested by the United Nations.

France and Germany call on Russia to assume its full responsibilities in this regard.