Berlin expects to be consulted before any Western allies conduct an attack on Syria, as partners must be united on the matter, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Thursday. “It’s important at the same time to maintain pressure on Russia,” Maas told reporters in Dublin. “If we want to do that, we the Western partners cannot diverge in our approaches.” A spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that she had spoken with French President Emmanuel Macron about the suspected gas attack in Syria. The chancellor expressed concern that the international community’s ability to ban chemical weapons was eroding, Reuters said.