EU tries to revive stalled UN peace talks on Syria

The European Union on Thursday sought to revive stalled United Nations peace talks for Syria. The negotiations in Geneva made little or no progress during seven years of the war, before hitting a deadlock last December, Reuters reported. Russia has been promoting peace talks in Astana with Turkey, which supports rebel groups in Syria. EU foreign ministers in Bulgaria were holding their first full discussion about Syria in almost a year. “We’ll discuss how to mobilize humanitarian support but also how to use the convening power of the EU to support the UN-led political process that is facing difficult moments in these weeks,” according to the EU’s top diplomat, Federica Mogherini. She will host an international conference on Syria in Brussels in April, trying to support the peace process and seeking more pledges of humanitarian aid.