The HR/VP Federica Mogherini met today with UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura to discuss the next steps to put an end to the conflict in Syria. As the crisis, now the world's largest humanitarian crisis, enters its fifth year, the High Representative and the UN Special Envoy shared views on how to accelerate the process to find a political solution.

They discussed the best ways in which the EU can further actively contribute to the UN initiatives, including the UN Special Envoy's proposal for working groups on Syria and the establishment of an international contact group.

They also discussed the new regional perspectives that can be opened by the agreement on the Iran nuclear programme and by the consensus gathered around the UN Presidential Statement of 17 August, to effectively counter the terrorist threat posed by Da'esh/ ISIL in the region.