Untangling Syria's war: Buffeted by migrant crisis, Europe's top diplomats mull new strategy

A Syrian refugee family arrive on the shores of the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey on a inflatable dinghy, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015. More than 260,000 asylum-seekers have arrived in Greece so far this year, most reaching the country's eastern islands on flimsy rafts or boats from the nearby Turkish coast.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) (The Associated Press)

An excavator works on a huge pile of life vests and dinghies that have been used by migrants at a local dump of the island of Lesbos, Greece, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015. More than 260,000 asylum-seekers have arrived in Greece so far this year, most reaching the country's eastern islands on flimsy rafts or boats from the nearby Turkish coast.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) (The Associated Press)

PARIS – The top diplomats of Britain, France, Germany and the EU are meeting in Paris to sketch out a possible new diplomatic push to end fighting in Syria.

The gathering Thursday evening comes amid new jockeying by Russia and increased military action by France and Britain in the region. European officials are warning with new urgency that the refugee crisis has no hope of ending without a political solution in Syria.

On Wednesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she favored including Syrian President Bashar Assad at the negotiating table in the future. "I think one has to speak with many actors. That includes Assad," she said.