“We need to talk to many participants, including Assad,” Merkel said in comments made after an emergency EU summit on the current migrant crisis in Europe.
She added that in addition to Russia and the United States, Iran, Saudi Arabia and other countries should be brought into the negotiating process.
France Presse reported that Angela Merkel’s statement reflected the EU leaders’ warming to the embattled Syrian leader.
France is a notable exception, with President Francois Hollande saying that there should be no place for Bashar Assad in post-war Syria.
According to the United Nations, over 220,000 people have been killed since the armed conflict in Syria flared up in March 2011.
