As fighting and shelling resumed in Aleppo on Wednesday, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker described the situation as “grave”. "There are reports of slaughters, of children trapped under collapsed buildings,” he said at the opening of the morning’s plenary session in Strasbourg.

In his call to allow civilians safely leave the ruins of Aleppo, Juncker was joined by a number of MEPs. Noting “the world is holding its breath”, EPP group chair Manfred Weber said the priority right now was humanitarian aid: “It is clear Europe has to act. We also need to improve the reception of refugees here in Europe.”

Deploring the recent violence in Aleppo, vice-chair of the Greens/EFA Ska Keller said: “Where is the resettlement scheme urgently needed to get people out of this horrendous situation?” She added: “The only thing that member states can agree on is to do everything to keep migrants and refugees out.”

“Death factory”

ECR member Anna Fotyga, the chair of Parliament's security and defence subcommittee, said: “We are witnessing a crime against humanity. We need to ensure that there is no impunity regardless of rank and nationality.” Cypriot GUE/NGL member Takis Hadjigeorgiou said: “We all share the weighty responsibility for the terrible death factory in Syria right now.”

Condemning the atrocities and calling for an immediate humanitarian solution, S&D group chair Gianni Pittella noted that Parliament’s position on Syria was very clear at this stage. In a plenary resolution adopted on 24 November, MEPs called for an immediate cessation of bombing and indiscriminate attacks against civilians. They urged all parties to the conflict to ensure humanitarian aid access throughout the country.

“Meltdown of humanity”

In November Parliament called for those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law to face justice. This was also an issue brought up in today’s debate by Council representative Ivan Korčok. Addressing Korčok, ALDE chair Guy Verhofstadt said: “What are you going to do about it? You deplore it, like we all deplore it here, but you have the power to do more!”

In order to put an end to what Verhofstadt called in a tweet a “meltdown of humanity” in Syria, the ALDE leader outlined the three things required right now: “A ceasefire, the free entrance of humanitarian aid to eastern Aleppo and talks towards a political solution.” He added: “For those who do not want to do this, the European Union must answer with sanctions; against Russia, the Assad regime and Iran.”

“Putin has blood on his hands”

As in previous debates, a number of speakers were critical of Russia’s role in the carnage in Syria. EPP group chair Manfred Weber pointed out: “The situation in Aleppo could only develop the way it did because Russian bombs and soldiers were involved. Putin has blood on his hands and the EU needs to state that clearly, appeasement is not an option.” S&D group chair Gianni Pittella also strongly condemned Russia’s role.

ENF vice-chair Matteo Salvini, however, urged MEPs to focus on extremists and Islamic State instead of Russia: “They think Putin is the one with dirty hands; they are ignoring extremists everywhere.”

EFDD member David Coburn gave his explanation for the instability in the wider Middle East: "It is because the West has undermined Arab dictators. The real enemy is not people like Assad, it's fundamentalist theocracy.”

Sakharov Prize

A number of MEPs referred to Parliament’s Sakharov human rights prize which on 13 December was awarded to two Iraqi Yazidi victims of Islamic State enslavement, Nadia Murad and Lamiya Aji Bashar. ALDE group chair Guy Verhofstadt said: “The horrific things they went through are happening right now in the streets of Aleppo, where Assad’s people and the Shiite Iranian commandos are going from door to door killing women and children.”

GUE/NGL member Takis Hadjigeorgiou said, however, that human rights prizes alone would not suffice: “What are we doing in areas such as Syria? We need to put our words into action and do something much more constructive.”

The European Union continues to work in cooperation with the UN and regional partners on political solutions to end the conflict. The situation in Syria, as well as Russia’s role in the conflict, will be discussed at a European Council summit on 15 December.

Click here to learn more about EU efforts in resolving the Syria conflict.