Inside Story

Is the United Nations all talk and no action?

Two resolutions to try to stop the war on Syria’s Aleppo are blocked in the UN Security Council.

Russia has vetoed a UN resolution to end the bombing of Aleppo.

Another resolution also failed.

The UN is warning that if air strikes continue on rebel-held areas, Syria’s second largest city will be destroyed by the end of the year.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon says Aleppo is “worse than a slaughterhouse”.

The UN says two million Syrians could be trapped in the city.

More than 400 civilians, about one-third of them children, have been killed during the past two weeks of bombardment.

Only five hospitals remain operational in the besieged part of eastern Aleppo.

Who is really calling the shots in this complex conflict?

Presenter: Adrian Finighan

Guests:

Meguerditch Terzian – President, Doctors Without Borders

Sergey Markov – Spokesman for President Vladimir Putin and Director of the Institute for Political Studies

Hillary Mann Leverett – Former White House National Security Official

Monzer Akbik – Spokesman for Syrian opposition group Tomorrow Movement