A feeling of déjà vu. Once again, MEPs debated the situation in Syria on Tuesday 13 March in a feeling of despair and impotence, as the conflict entered its eighth year this week.
Marietje Schaake (ALDE, the Netherlands) said they had seen hospitals bombed and rebombed, children suffocated by gas attacks, and no talk of military solutions when the bombs create reality on the ground. She said there were vetoes to UN Security Council resolutions again and again, and UN communications emptied of sense again and again, and blocked and stolen humanitarian aid again and again. She asked whether people had had enough of this again and again, describing it as a toxic, cynical and bloody circle that had to cease and it was not too late for the EU to play a significant and more effective role for peace, justice and holding to account.
Like Schaake, a number of MEPs pointed the finger at Bashar al-Assad’s allies, headed by Russia and Iran. The Russian president Vladimir Putin, is playing his favourite game of arsonist fireman, said Dan Cristian Preda (EPP, Romania), adding that this was not longer a civil war, but a massacre. He said one was forced to note total paralysis of the international community, not only are resolutions violated as soon as they get voted through but, worse, the bombings have even intensified since the resolution of 24 February calling for a ceasefire.
All our efforts to try to reach a ceasefire have failed, and Russia and Iran continue as allies to the regime to bomb civilians and drop chemical weapons, added Victor Boştinaru (S&D, Romania). All military action should be suspended to allow humanitarian aid to get where it is needed, said Fabio Castaldo (EFDD, Italy)
On behalf of the Greens, Barbara Lochbihler (Germany) said Turkey should be asked to end its military intervention at Afrin, where Turkish troops currently surround the city. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)