Germany vows to keep pressure on Russia over Syria

The German government on Friday said it would do all it could to maintain political pressure on Russia over the suspected use of chemical weapons in Syria, government spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Friday.

Seibert said there was "serious evidence" that pointed to use of such weapons in violation of international law, and said Germany remained in close touch with the United States and other allies over how to respond.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Adebahr said Germany agreed with its allies that the use of chemical weapons must not go unpunished. She said it was clear that not all chemical weapons had been destroyed in Syria in a process that began in 2013.