SOCHI (Sputnik) — Sanctions against Russia over its campaign in Syria cannot help to solve the crisis, instead, some short-term measures are urgently needed to ease the suffering of locals, former Austria's Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel said Wednesday.
"I think what [German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter] Steinmeier said that sanctions have a long-term effect. What is needed in Syria and Iraq today is a short-term solution to stop the pain of civilians in Aleppo and other parts. There is no military solution, there is only regional solution including regional parts," Schuessel said speaking at Valdai Discussion Club.
The West blames Moscow and Damascus over alleged bombings of civilian population and armed opposition groups in Syria. Russia and the Syrian government dismiss the accusations, insisting that they only strike terrorist positions, while blaming the United States of their inability to differentiate between so-called "moderate opposition" and terrorists.
