Russia wants the U.N. Security Council to meet publicly on Thursday to discuss the situation in Syria's eastern Ghouta, where pro-government forces are bombarding the besieged rebel-held enclave near Damascus.

"This is necessary given the concern that we've heard today in order to make sure that all parties can present their vision, their understanding of this situation and come up with a ways of getting out of this situation," Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the 15-member council on Wednesday.