Kerry requests 'big, magnanimous choices from Russia' as Aleppo falls

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday he hopes Russia and the Bashar al-Assad regime will take the high road as rebel control of Aleppo, Syria, continues to crumble.

"Russia and Assad have a moment where they are in a dominant position to show a little grace," he said after meeting in Paris with officials representing the countries that back Syrian opposition forces. "I believe there could be a way forward but it depends on big, magnanimous choices from Russia." American diplomats are also meeting with Russia on Saturday in Geneva to negotiate rebel fighters' exit from Aleppo and, Kerry emphasized, safe passage for civilians.

British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, who was in Paris with Kerry, insisted the loss of Aleppo "will not change the fundamentals of the conflict," for which there "can be no military solution." "We must keep pushing for a return to a political process with the credibility necessary for all parties to commit to an end to all the fighting," Johnson added.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up