(VOVworld) - The United Nations Security Council called for an emergency meeting to discuss the Syrian crisis after the UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura warned that east Aleppo could face total destruction within months. The meeting, at the request of Russia, is scheduled for Friday. Mr. Mistura is expected to brief the council via videoconference from Geneva.

The rising violence in Aleppo city in the past few days (Photo: Reuters)

On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault held talks in Moscow on the Syrian crisis. Lavrow said Russia and France are concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Syria, and will cooperate in both bilateral and multilateral frameworks to solve the crisis. Moscow is ready to work on a Paris draft resolution incorporating the principles of the Russia-US deal on Syria, resolutions of the UN Security Council, and agreements of the Syrian International Rescue Committee.

French Foreign Minister Ayrault said France supports a political solution for the Syrian crisis and that the draft resolution it submitted to the UN Security Council proposes a halt of violence in Aleppo and immediate access to humanitarian aid for the civilians there.

The same day, Russia warned the US against carrying out any attacks on Syrian government forces. Russia Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said the US plans to aim air strikes at areas under the control of the Syrian government will threaten Russia’s forces there.