European foreign ministers meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry are expected to urge the United States to hold off any military action in Syria until UN inspectors report on the alleged use of chemical weapons.

On Saturday, Kerry and about 15 European foreign ministers attended an informal meeting of the European Union in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Britain's Parliament has already voted against military action. And French President Francois Hollande displayed sudden caution on Friday, saying he would wait for a UN report before deciding whether to intervene militarily.

The UN report is expected later this month, although some European officials are asking the UN to speed up the probe or issue an interim report.

While in Europe, Kerry also is discussing ongoing talks between Israel and the Palestinians.