US and UK Warn of Potential New Sanctions Against Syria and Russia

The United States and the United Kingdom threatened on Sunday that Western allies might impose economic sanctions against the government of Bashar al-Assad and its allies, including Russia, in response to the ongoing siege of Aleppo. Following a meeting of foreign ministers and officials from 11 countries opposing the Assad regime in London, John Kerry and Boris Johnson dedicated their joint press conference to the Syrian crisis. In this press conference, US Secretary of State John Kerry described the bombing of civilians in Aleppo as a 'crime against humanity' and added that the Obama administration would not rule out any options in addressing the suffering of the Syrian people at the hands of Bashar al-Assad. He mentioned the possibility of considering new sanctions against Assad and his allies but emphasized that it was his and his British counterpart's duty to consider all diplomatic options. Regarding the military option, Kerry stated, 'We discussed all possible mechanisms, but I do not see much willingness on the part of European sides to go to war.' He said from his perspective, 'European parliaments are not ready to declare war [in Syria],' but added that they are considering additional sanctions and that Obama would not rule out any options. Boris Johnson also announced at the press conference that they discussed numerous matters regarding Aleppo, including 'additional measures against Assad and his allies.' He stated that 'such measures will ultimately be painful for the perpetrators of this crime, and they should think about this from now on.' The London talks took place just a day after the Lausanne meeting in Switzerland, attended by the US, Russia, and seven regional countries including Iran, ended without an agreement on halting violence in Syria. After the conclusion of this meeting, Kerry stated that the Lausanne talks with senior diplomats from Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Iran were 'frank and constructive' and that some ideas raised regarding the peace process in Syria 'might lead to a different approach in this regard.' He also mentioned that communication between foreign ministers would continue in the coming days. The diplomatic efforts in Lausanne and London come as the Syrian government army, supported by Russian airstrikes, continues its military operations in Aleppo. The capture of Aleppo is a significant objective for the Syrian government, and Bashar al-Assad recently emphasized that retaking this city would be a very important step in driving 'terrorists' towards Turkey. The Syrian government considers all its opposition groups as 'terrorists.' On Sunday, the foreign ministers of the UK and the US also emphasized the need to stop violence in Yemen after another meeting regarding the crisis there, calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Yemen. In this context, Kerry stressed that 'now is the time for an unconditional ceasefire, and then it will be time to move to the negotiating table.' He stated that if various groups in Yemen agree to the ceasefire, the UN special envoy for Yemen can provide details for the start of negotiations. Kerry specified that he, Boris Johnson, and Sheikh Ahmed, the UN envoy, are seeking to initiate a rapid ceasefire by Monday or Tuesday at the latest. The UN reports that over 6,700 people have been killed in Yemen over the past year due to the Saudi-led coalition's attacks on Houthi rebel positions, two-thirds of whom are civilians.