Putin cancels France trip after Syria row

Russian president Vladimir Putin has called off a meeting with French president Francois Hollande later this month as the fall-out from the Syrian conflict rumbles on.

Hollande said on Monday that Russia could face sanctions over war crimes due to its actions in the bombing of the city of Aleppo, and added that the planned encounter would only include one meeting on the issue.

The Kremlin has decided that the downgrading of the visit to Paris is unacceptable, and is a method of trying to "humiliate" the Russian leader. Putin was initially to open a new Russian Orthodox church in the French capital.

"There were some events scheduled, including the opening of a Russian cultural and religious center, exhibitions. Unfortunately, those events were struck off the program, so the president decided to cancel his visit to France for now," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Moscow has repeatedly denied involvement in the killing of civilians in Aleppo, but that has been disputed by many.

"These are people who today are the victims of war crimes. Those that commit these acts will have to face up to their responsibility, including in the ICC," Hollande said on Monday.

A ceasefire negotiated during the conflict in Aleppo was broken a number of weeks ago, initiating one of the most deadly spates of bombing the city has seen.