(Brussels) The European institutions are closely following the escalation of the Syrian crisis, and Brussels is keeping “in close contact” with European and Washington’s governments. This has been confirmed by the European Commission’s spokesmen’s service, and equal concern has been expressed by the EU Parliament, which will have its plenary meeting in Strasbourg next week. “President Juncker is personally following the escalation of the situation if Syria, with high-profile contacts”, Juncker’s spokesperson, Margaritis Schinas, confirms. The Berlaymont palace, the EU Executive’s HQ, “firmly condemns the use of chemical weapons, which is a war crime and a crime against humanity”. Tomorrow, the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Federica Mogherini, will meet the UN general secretary, Jens Stoltenberg, in Brussels: top of the agenda will be the crisis in Syria and the winds of war that are blowing over the USA, Russia, Turkey and the Middle East. Syria will also be discussed by the Foreign Affairs council in Luxembourg next Monday. EU’s often-repeated policy is finding a UN-led political solution, without weapons.