Russia plays key role in determining Aleppo ceasefire - Merkel

Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel react at the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China September 4, 2016. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj

HANGZHOU, China (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin plays a key role in determining whether a ceasefire can be reached to let humanitarian relief into the eastern Syrian city of Aleppo, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday. "It is extremely urgent. It's clear that time is pressing given the suffering of the people," Merkel said at a news conference at the close of the G20 summit in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou. She said she hoped the United States and Russia could reach agreement on a longer ceasefire that would allow humanitarian aid to be delivered. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal)