BRUSSELS: European Union foreign ministers are meeting to discuss ways to end the violence in Syria, wracked by a civil war that has killed an estimated 70,000 people.

Some debate may concern altering the EU's arms embargo against the country to allow munitions to be funneled to rebels trying to overthrow the regime of Bashar Assad. Britain has pushed for some changes to the embargo. And Gen. Salim Idris, head of the rebel army, travelled to Brussels last week to plead for arms from the international community.

But diplomats from other countries say more guns is the last thing Syria needs. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, on her way into the meeting Monday in Brussels, backed a political solution.

"We need to stop the killing," Ashton said.