Boris Johnson has accused the Syrian regime of Bashar Assad of presiding over a "flagrant disregard for human life" in Aleppo after meeting other foreign ministers to discuss the ongoing crisis there.

The Foreign Secretary emerged from the meeting in Paris to demand access for humanitarian aid to the Syrian city being strangled by a Russian-backed regime offensive.

It comes as Mr Johnson heads to Saudi Arabia for a meeting with the country’s leaders following the row over his comments that the country is involved in “proxy wars”.

After the Paris meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry and others, Mr Johnson said: “The situation in Aleppo remains dire with desperate images of destruction and a flagrant disregard for human life being splashed across the media on a daily basis.

“We agreed our first priority must be the protection of civilians and ensuring access for humanitarian aid. It's essential that the regime and its backers provide the United Nations that access with immediate effect.”

Mr Johnson accepted that rebels were being beaten back in Aleppo but went on to outline that there can be no “military solution in Syria”.

In pictures: Aleppo bombing Show all 14 1 /14 In pictures: Aleppo bombing In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Smoke rises after airstrikes on the rebel-held al-Sakhour neighborhood of Aleppo, Syria April 29, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A Syrian family runs for cover amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following a reported air strike on the rebel-held neighbourhood of Al-Qatarji in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, on April 29, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A man reacts as he stands on blood stains at a site hit by airstrikes in the rebel held area of Aleppo's al-Fardous district, Syria, April 29, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo The damage of the airstrikes in the rebel-held area of Aleppo on April 28 Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo The damaged the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)-backed al-Quds hospital after it was hit by airstrikes, in a rebel-held area of Syria's Aleppo Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrians evacuate an injured man amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following an air strike on a rebel-held of Aleppo on April 29, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo People inspect the damage at a site hit by airstrikes, in the rebel-held area of Aleppo's Bustan al-Qasr AP In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A man leads a woman in tears and child out of the scene after airstrikes hit Aleppo AP In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Civil defence members search for survivors after an airstrike at a field hospital in the rebel held area of al-Sukari district of Aleppo Reuters In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A Syrian boy is comforted as he cries next to the body of a relative who died in a reported air strike in the rebel-held neighbourhood of al-Soukour in the northern city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo A Syrian family walks amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following a reported air strike in the Bustan al-Qasr rebel-held district of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrian civil defence volunteers and rescuers remove a baby from under the rubble of a destroyed building following a reported air strike on the rebel-held neighbourhood of al-Kalasa in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrians help a wounded youth following an air strike on the Fardous rebel held neighbourhood of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo Getty Images In pictures: Aleppo bombing Bombing in Aleppo Syrian civil defence volunteers evacuate people from a damaged building following a reported airstrike in the rebel-held neighbourhood of Tareeq al-Bab in the northern city of Aleppo

He added: “We must keep pushing for a return to a political process with the credibility necessary for all parties to commit to an end to all the fighting.”

Mr Johnson left the meeting to immediately head for the Gulf where he is due to meet his Saudi Arabian counterpart, where he will explain comments he made at a conference in Italy last week.

In the unguarded words, recorded and later published by the Guardian, he accused all politicians in the region of “twisting and abusing religion…in order to further their own political objectives.”

He added: “And that’s why you have these proxy wars being fought the whole time in that area… there is not strong enough leadership in the countries themselves.”

Boris Johnson caught on video accusing ally Saudi Arabia of ‘playing proxy wars’

Mr Johnson then lumped the Saudis in with Iran suggesting the two nations are both “puppeteering and playing proxy wars”.

Afterwards, Theresa May’s official spokesperson said the Foreign Secretary’s comments were his own view and did not reflect Government policy, and indicated Mr Johnson would have a chance to recant when he visits Saudi.