France says Russia might extend Syria pause

French President Francois Hollande says he has the impression after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin that a pause in fighting in Aleppo may be extended, AP reported.

Russia has promised an eight-hour halt in fighting on Thursday in the besieged city. Hollande said early Thursday after he and German Chancellor Angela Merkel met Putin: "I can't put myself in his (Putin's) place but what I understood was that he would go beyond the eight hours announced."

Merkel and Hollande strongly criticized Russian and Syrian government airstrikes on Aleppo, and Hollande said that "what is happening in Aleppo is truly a war crime."

Hollande said that "the first demand is an end to the bombing ... by the regime and Russian planes."

Merkel described the talks on Syria as "very hard."