"We strongly call on Moscow, as opposed to the [Syrian President Bashar] Assad’s regime, to make a pause in hostilities, to start finally cooperating with the United Nations and with international humanitarian organizations to make humanitarian access for people in Aleppo possible," he said in a statement obtained by RIA Novosti.
Steinmeier said that it was necessary to put an end to violence and return to negotiations.
"The situation in Aleppo makes US-Russian agreement more urgent. I hope that ongoing talks between Washington and Moscow will lead to results so that the situation in Aleppo will be deescalated," he said.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Thursday that Moscow and Damascus had launched a joint large-scale humanitarian relief operation in Aleppo, establishing three corridors for civilians and one for militants wishing to lay down arms. He said Russia offered the international organizations working in Syria to join this operation.
