Russia says no agreement on ceasefire resolution

The Russian Envoy cited concerns over enforcing the ceasefire and questioned the feasibility of quickly launching a major aid operation to reach civilians and lift sieges.

After two weeks of negotiations, Russia has told the UN Security Council that there was still no agreement on a 30-day ceasefire in Syria. The Russian envoy to the UN told an emergency meeting of the security council that Russia would not support the ceasefire resolution put forward by Sweden and Kuwait in its present form, calling it unrealistic.

The Russian Envoy cited concerns over enforcing the ceasefire and questioned the feasibility of quickly launching a major aid operation to reach civilians and lift sieges.

The draft, put forward by Kuwait and Sweden, calls for a 30-day nationwide truce to go into effect 72 hours after the resolution is passed. Medical evacuations and aid deliveries would start 48 hours after that.

The draft says 5.6 million people in 1,244 communities across the country are in acute need.

More than 400 people have been killed in the five-day assault by the Syrian government on Eastern Ghouta, which UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has described as “hell on earth” for civilians.
In November, Russia used its veto to block a resumption of UN investigations into the use of chemical weapons by Syrian forces.