MOSCOW, May 29. /TASS/. Instead of resolving the crisis in Syria, Western countries are plundering the republic's resources and preventing refugees from returning, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a report on the 8th Brussels conference on Syria held on May 27.

"Washington and its allies, illegally occupying the cross-Euphrates area and the area near At-Tanf, are actively plundering Syria’s natural resources, including oil and grain. In doing so, they have no concern for the civilians in such notorious camps as Al-Hawl and Roj. Thousands of women and children who fled to these camps from the carpet bombing of Raqqa, Hajin and Baghuz have in fact been abandoned to their fate," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

It pointed out that the real situation "on the ground" in Syria and in the region shows that Western countries do not plan to carry out any of the above tasks. In addition, the ministry stressed that the process of Syrians coming back to their homeland, as well as comprehensive humanitarian assistance to the republic in general are blocked by the West. "Washington and Brussels not only deny assistance to those willing to return, but also torpedo the implementation of projects for the early restoration of civilian infrastructure (schools, hospitals, water and power supply facilities, residential houses), which is key to security and decent repatriation," the ministry added.

"Instead, the West prefers to keep Syrian refugees abroad by all possible means, paying off the hosting countries in case of growing threats of illegal migration," it said. Meanwhile, the US and the European Union are stepping up sanctions against Damascus that hit primarily ordinary Syrians, who had to face not only the difficult consequences of a years-long crisis, but also a devastating earthquake and the coronavirus pandemic.

"Against this background, the statements of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell about a commitment to a ‘comprehensive political settlement in Syria with the assistance of the UN’ look blatantly hypocritical. The Europeans did not and do not care about promoting a Syrian-led and Syrian-managed political process with respect for Syria's sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity, as stipulated by UN Security Council Resolution 2254," the Russian ministry added.

In addition, it points out that representatives of the legitimate Syrian government, and now Russia, are still not invited to the EU events, "without which there is no talk of a real settlement of the crisis.".