The European Union's envoy to Syria said early on Sunday that it was not fair to accuse the group of failing to provide enough help to Syrians following the earthquake that devastated large parts of Syria and Turkey last week.
The war carved the country into various competing zones of control, making aid provision difficult even before Monday's 7.8 magnitude quake.
Some observers have accused Damascus of directing aid towards loyalist areas. Syrian authorities did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Sunday. Stoenescu said the EU was encouraging member states to provide help and that sanctions "do not impede the delivery of humanitarian aid."
"The more the sanctions narrative is perpetrated, the more honest actors that want to help are inhibited and afraid to get involved in the international humanitarian efforts," he said.
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