At the United Nations, Russia is refusing to back a U.S.-supported Security Council resolution calling for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to hand over power to a deputy. According to the Associated Press, the draft resolution insists there will be no use of foreign forces in the country. Russia has accused Western and Arab nations of putting Syria on the “path to civil war.” Russia and China have also accused the United States and other Western nations of misusing a U.N. mandate to depose Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi. At the White House, Press Secretary Jay Carney addressed the crisis in Syria.

Jay Carney: “It’s important to look at where this process is headed. Assad’s fall is inevitable. And so, as governments make decisions about where they stand on this issue and what further steps need to be taken with regards to the brutality of the Assad regime, it’s important to calculate into your considerations the fact that he will go. The regime has lost control of the country and will eventually fall.”

Meanwhile, this week is shaping up to be one of the most violent since the Assad regime began cracking down on anti-government protesters 10 months ago. Activists said that 53 people were killed Monday, including 35 civilians.