As Europe hesitates to act, Venezuela offers to receive 20,000 Syrian refugees

President Nicolas Maduro says that Venezuela is ready to receive 20,000 Syrians fleeing war in their homeland.

Maduro made the comments on Monday during a meeting of his council of ministers in the government palace. He said: "I want 20,000 Syrians, Syrian families, to come to Venezuela and share this land in peace."

However, the socialist president reiterated his support for Syrian President Bashar Assad, one of the main actors triggering the influx of refugees.

Venezuela follows a distanced foreign policy against the U.S., and sides with Russia in international foreign policy issues. Syrian regime has had close ties to Venezuela in recent years.

Since civil war broke out in 2011, more than 4 million Syrians have fled the country, more than any other refugee crisis in almost 25 years, according to the United Nations.