U.N. Syria Envoy to Meet Trump Team

The U.N.'s peace envoy for Syria said Thursday he was planning to have meetings with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's transition team.

Staffan de Mistura, who has been leading diplomatic efforts to end the five-year war in Syria, told reporters that talks would be held in New York and in Washington this week. 

"The plan is to meet some people around the team of president Trump," De Mistura said as he headed into a closed session of the Security Council.

Backed by Russian air power, Syrian forces have captured about 85 percent of eastern Aleppo after three weeks of heavy fighting to seize one of the last opposition strongholds.

The United States and Russia are holding talks on a ceasefire deal that could allow rebel fighters and civilians to leave Aleppo.

The United Nations on Thursday stepped up calls for a pause in fighting to allow hundreds of sick and injured children to be evacuated.