Europe Can Solve Syrian Refugee Problem Only by Working With US, Russia

BERLIN (Sputnik) – The reasons of the migration crisis in Europe is due in part to the conflict in Syria and this can be solved only by cooperating with Russia and the United States, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday.

In recent months, Europe has been experiencing an escalating refugee crisis, as hundreds of thousands of people flee conflict and poverty in the Middle East and North Africa and seek refuge in the European Union.

"We can only do this together with the United States, and if I’m thinking about Syria, then together with Russia, in order to fight the reason for this [refugee] flight," Merkel told journalists.

Syria has been in the state of a civil war since 2011. The conflict between government forces and rebels, exacerbated by jihadist groups active in the region, has forced some 11 million people out of their homes. Millions of Syrians are now living in neighboring countries, including Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, while many of them are trying to make their way to Europe.

Russia has been supporting the Syrian government to counter terrorism by providing weapons and military instructors, helping to mediate intra-Syria talks, as well as supplying people in the conflict-torn country with humanitarian aid.

Over 500,000 migrants, many from conflict-torn Syria, have entered the European Union since the beginning of 2015, according to the European Commission data.