Russia decries cancelled Boris Johnson visit and warns on further Syria attacks

RUSSIA - Russian officials have launched a scathing attack on the UK before a gathering of G7 foreign ministers yesterday, criticising Boris Johnson’s decision to cancel a trip to Moscow due to increased tensions about Syria.

The foreign secretary faced criticism at home and abroad on Sunday for postponing the visit, prompting his allies to say critics had put “polls and politics above sorting out a civil war.”

In a further escalation of the rhetoric regarding last week’s US missile strikes on Syria, a joint command centre made up of the forces of Russia, Iran and militias supporting the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, said the attack had crossed “red lines” and it would respond to any new aggression and increase its support for its ally.

“What America waged in an aggression on Syria is a crossing of red lines. From now on we will respond with force to any aggressor or any breach of red lines from whoever it is and America knows our ability to respond well,” said the statement published by the group on the media outlet Ilam al Harbi (War Media).

Amid continuing repercussions from last week’s chemical weapons attack on civilians in Khan Sheikhun and the US strike, the Russian foreign ministry and embassy in London belittled Britain’s role in the crisis.

Johnson’s cancellation showed a “fundamental misunderstanding or lack of knowledge of the events in Syria, Russia’s efforts to settle that crisis and the general objectives of diplomacy,” the Russian foreign ministry said. “The decision to call off Johnson’s visit to Moscow confirms once again doubts in the presence of added value in speaking to the UK, which does not have its own position on the majority of present-day issues, nor does it have real influence on the course of international affairs, as it remains ‘in the shadow’ of its strategic partners. We do not feel that we need dialogue with London any more than it does.” Russia’s embassy in London, meanwhile, said it was “deplorable” that Johnson felt unable to meet his counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. It tweeted mocking polls, including one that sought views on Donald Trump “as a wartime leader and Johnson as his lieutenant.” (The Guardian)