Russian defence minister: Syria political process postponed ‘indefinitely’

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday that prospects for the start of the political process and the return of a climate of stability for the Syrian people has been postponed indefinitely as a result of the West’s failure to restrain “militant Islamists.”

The defence minister’s statements came during a meeting with senior military officials, according to a statement issued by the Russian Ministry of Defence. He claimed that there are eight open humanitarian corridors in Aleppo, and that the city has not suffered airstrikes for 16 days.

Shoigu said that opposition fighters backed by Western governments attacked civilians in Aleppo despite the suspension of Russian airstrikes, stressing that he believes that is not possible to conduct negotiations with those factions.

The defence minister added that the prospects for the start of a political settlement and the return of peace and stability in Syria have been postponed indefinitely.

Shoigu criticised some European countries for preventing Russian warships heading to Syria from stopping to refuel in their ports, and he accused Western countries of constituting an impediment to the fight against terrorism.