Diplomatic talks between the United States and Russia have all but halted since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February. But Ms. Thomas-Greenfield said she would try to reopen discussions with Russian diplomats at the U.N. to preserve the aid — and to ensure that Moscow does not use it as a bargaining chip with other nations to gain leverage in Ukraine.
Mark Cutts, the U.N. relief coordinator for Syria, said the humanitarian aid operation was the largest in the world, with more than 56,000 truckloads of lifesaving supplies delivered since 2014. As many as four million people in Syria — including an estimated 1.7 million living in tents — receive supplies that are delivered to Idlib, the last large rebel enclave in Syria and an area that has also become a haven for extremists linked to Al Qaeda.
“No one should have to live in tents for more than a decade,” Mr. Cutts said. “And we’re already not providing the assistance that’s needed.”
Ms. Thomas-Greenfield put it more bluntly. Without the aid, she said, “babies will die.”
On the Turkish side of the border, known as Point Zero, the deputy governor of Hatay, Orhan Akturk, said the amount of assistance seemed to be lower than in the past. The U.N. mission “should be extended,” he said. “That’s important, given the alternative.”
The United States and Turkey, both members of NATO, have formed an uneasy alliance over the last decade as Mr. Erdogan has sought to stifle political opposition and free speech, drawing American condemnation. A belief among many Turks that the United States played a shadowy role in the failed coup attempt against Mr. Erdogan in 2016 fueled the tensions.
Understanding Syria’s Civil War
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An enduring conflict. The Syrian war began 11 years ago with a peaceful uprising against the government and spiraled into a multisided conflict involving armed rebels, jihadists and others. Here is what to know:
The origins. The conflict began in 2011 when Syrians rose up peacefully against the government of President Bashar al-Assad. The protests were met with a violent crackdown, while communities took up arms to defend themselves. Civil war ensued.
Both countries oppose Mr. al-Assad’s grip on power but are bitterly divided over Kurdish fighters in northern Syria. Turkey considers them terrorists, but the United States views them as partners who helped beat back the Islamic State.