Russia halts Syria peace talks indefinitely

Peace talks over the fate of the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo are on hold indefinitely because rebels backed by western governments have been attacking civilians in the west of the Syrian city, the Russian defence minister has said.

Sergei Shoigu’s remarks came as he confirmed that Russia’s naval convoy, led by its aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, had reached the eastern Mediterranean to strengthen Moscow’s attack capabilities, despite the refusal of NATO countries to help with refuelling and supplies.

Shoigu said the lack of cooperation by the Spanish and Maltese governments showed the west was not interested in combatting terrorism in Syria.

The west, he added, had failed in its paramount duty to separate legitimate opposition fighters in rebel-held eastern Aleppo from Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, the al-Qaida-linked group formerly known as the Nusra front.

Shoigu said rebels had been attacking civilians in western Aleppo despite a pause in Russian and Syrian air attacks. “As a result, the prospects for the start of a negotiation process and the return to peaceful life in Syria are postponed for an indefinite period,” he said.

On Monday, US Secretary of State John Kerry insisted discussions were still being held with the Russians on how to reconstruct a ceasefire, but admitted progress was difficult and there was a risk Russia would seek to “blow Aleppo to smithereens” .

A ceasefire could be agreed, he said, if Russia halted its bombing campaign long enough to allow countries backing the legitimate Syrian opposition to persuade those forces in Aleppo to separate themselves from Jabhat Fateh al-Sham.