"We have always been not only pushing for but also accompanying the Geneva talks with very concrete measures," said the High Representative Federica Mogherini at the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on Monday where Syria was high on the agenda of the 28 EU Foreign Ministers.

"We have been working to unite the opposition, to prepare their delegation for negotiations and talks. We have always also been working with civil society organisations, women," she added stressing that the opposition is today not only ready, but also willing to negotiate.

"If there is one hope for Syria, it is the people of Syria that are fed up of conflict and war that could give the push for serious negotiations."

The High Representative highlighted how neither military escalations nor the Astana process and the de-escalation zones brought an end to the war.

"There can be no military solution to the Syrian conflict. Contrary to this, since last year, the Syrian regime, supported by its allies Russia and Iran, has intensified its military operations without regard for civilian casualties," the EU 28 Foreign Ministers echoed in the Council Conclusions adopted on Syria.