As Syrians mark the second anniversary of the start of the nation’s unrest, the EU is set to discuss lifting its arms embargo to allow supplying rebels.
The leaders of France and Britain will try to push other EU members to agree to the move at the Brussels summit.
Ties with Russia, one of Syria’s key allies, will also be discussed.
Moscow strongly opposes arming the rebels.
Up to 70,000 people have been killed in Syria since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began.
About one million people have fled the country.
BBC