LONDON, February 26. /TASS/. Russian Ambassador to London Alexander Yakovenko has been summoned to the British Foreign Office over the situation in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said while speaking at the country’s parliament on Monday.
"I have invited the Russian Ambassador to come to the Foreign Office and give an account of his country’s plans to implement Resolution 2401. I have instructed the UK Mission at the UN to convene another meeting of the Security Council to discuss the Assad regime’s refusal to respect the will of the UN and implement the ceasefire without delay," Johnson said.
On February 24, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution demanding that the parties to the Syrian conflict cease hostilities for at least 30 days so that humanitarian aid can be provided to civilians. All the 15 Security Council member states, including Russia, supported the document. According to the resolution, the ceasefire will not apply to military operations against the Islamic State terror group (outlawed in Russia) and other terrorist groups.
Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said that Moscow had supported the document as it called on the warring sides in Syria to end hostilities as quickly as possible, implement previously made agreements in this regard, as well as to negotiate general de-escalation and the establishment of long-term humanitarian pauses throughout the country." The diplomat pointed out that the operation against terrorist organizations active in Syria "will go on."